Ever Onward
by Shmack1812
Summary: Blood money. Dirty business, but someones gotta do it. Fortunately for WW3 veteran Benjamin Hatch, Griffon and Kryueger are hiring.
1. Get Back on that Horse

**Alright. It's been a while, like five months yeah? I had to do a lot of soul-searching, the result of that being the FGO story being taken down. Most of you reading this are going to be coming from HWGA probably. I plan on wrapping that up in one chapter because, well, I'm finished. I can't do it anymore; I need a fresh idea and a universe that I can actually work with without it feeling like I'm trying to fix things or work against canon/lore. That's a story for that section though not here.**

 **This is it. After months of searching this is going to be the new project. I learned from past mistakes I've worked on my style and with help have already laid out a framework for this. So, as the chapter says. Let's get back on that horse**

* * *

 **Get Back on that Horse**

" _Once you go into this line of work you never really get away, it leaves its mark on you forever. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Some people choose to move on, guys like me? We embrace it_."

-Unknown

 **1200 HOURS EASTERN EUROPEAN AIRSPACE**

Benjamin Hatch maintained a white-knuckled grip of his seat straps and grit teeth as the helicopter darted through unknown territory. Every time the aircraft banked hard, his luggage slid from one side to the other with loud, violent bangs. In any other situation, he would not have cared, but this time, his personal guitar was hidden among the mass of gear and balled up clothing. More than once, he had to stick his leg out and catch the sliding mass with his boot.

Glancing outside, he swallowed his discomfort as pine trees came uncomfortably close. The only respites to this wild ride, brief as they were, were the occasional clearing or lake. Even then, the pilots seemed to make it their goal to see just how close to the ground they could get without crashing.

It wasn't Hatch's first time flying like this, but he never got comfortable with it either. He brought a gloved finger to his earpiece and spoke with a near growl.

"Is there a particular reason why we're flying NOE!? ***** "

One of the pilots didn't bother looking back as he chuckled and replied in heavily-accented English. "What, you scared, American? We fly this way because it is right way to fly here!"

Hatch rolled his eyes as he stopped his gear from sliding once more. "No, I just don't want to end up in a million fucking pieces on the ground! Scared? Nah, in fact, I heard Russian pilots are world renown for their piloting!"

The other pilot took his right hand off the flight stick and struck a middle finger up back at Hatch. "Very funny, always joke. Hah Hah. We fly this way because jackasses around here always think they get lucky with missile!"

"Missiles? The hell!? What, is there nobody watching this area?" Hatch's eyes darted around, waiting to see the telltale sign of tracer fire or an RPG corkscrewing into the air. Nap-of-Earth didn't stop assholes from using other weapons to bring your flying coffin down.

"You must have never been out this way—ahh blyat! Hang on!" One of the pilots yanked his stick up as the helicopter gained altitude over a hill that had come butt-clenchingly close; Hatch was nearly thrown into the roof for his troubles.

Once the aircraft leveled out, the pilot sighed. "As I was saying. This is not Rocksert territory, Yankee. Military is not always keen to keep eyes on everything. Out here is lawless land. Bandits, people trying to make ends meet! Griffon and Kryuger have been meaning to set up an outpost here but eh. Busy as of late! Stretched thin!"

"Bandits with surface to air missiles?!" Hatch gave him an incredulous look.

"Bandits, militants! Sometimes malfunctioning abandoned SAM sites or worse, Sangvis Ferri."

Hatch cocked his head to the side. "Sangvis Ferri? The big arms manufacturer? What the hell happened with them? Why are they out here?!"

"Yeesh, you really been living under rock, eh Yankee Doodle? They went rogue a few years back. I'm not sure why but word on the grapevine is that the dolls took over."

"The dolls took over? Like a fucking robot uprising?"

The other pilots nodded. "That's correct. Right now, they're making big moves out here. You really are out of the loop, eh?!"

"Yeah, it's called trying to live a quiet life!" Experience took over as Hatch scanned the treeline. A pointless reflex. He had no weapons and the insane helicopter pilots obviously thought door gunners weren't necessary.

Both of the pilots laughed before one gave a thumbs up. "Oh, but I think you will like it here Yankee! Yes, just like uh...Wild West?! Like your old movies!?"

Hatch shook his head. There was no such thing as the Wild West anymore. The Belian Island Incident and World War 3 had seen to that. Now, it was called hell, just like anywhere else that had been devastated by the changing climate.

"You still alive Yankee?! Piss yourself?" The pilot's thick voice brought Hatch back to the present. He shook off the melancholy before letting out a fake laugh.

"Nah, I just haven't heard that name in a while! I wasn't aware we were still called that!"

"Ah, do not let new world fool you. Your home may get a new name but you'll always be what you're meant to be!" One of the other pilots gave his comrade a pat on the shoulder. "It's important to remember your heritage! Sometimes it is all we have in this world."

Hatch gave a weak smile as he eyed the dog tags around his neck. "Yeah, rah to that."

Suddenly the helicopter lurched as it gained altitude.

"Whew! Okay, good. Once again, thank you for flying friendly skies! This is GnK zone, no assholes pick a fight here!"

Hatch scooted closer to a window and peered out at the landscape below. Scenic views were replaced with scattered outposts and heavily-armed fortifications. He could barely make out the small dots of personnel running to and fro as they monitored weapon emplacements and other defenses. From the buildings to the weapon emplacements, the Griffon and Kryuger logo was prominent. The logo reminded Hatch of the old SNCO* ranks, only turned upside down.

All of these outposts paled in comparison to the massive installation that began to grow on the horizon. Hatch's slack-jawed, wide-eyed expression was visible even behind the thick beard and Oakley sunglasses.

The facility had all the makings of a modern military base. Multiple helipads by massive maintenance hangars next to an airfield. SAM sites and weapon systems were placed at strategic areas to ensure complete coverage. Tall concrete walls with guard posts surrounded the base ensuring no unwelcome guests came in. At the center of it all was a massive concrete complex set up in such a way to ensure that every angle could be defended from within. Everywhere Hatch looked he saw military activity and the backings of a large budget.

Like he was back in the service.

He gave a low whistle as the helicopter began its descent next to the center structure. "You guys sure are well funded. Look like I picked the right place!"

Both pilots laughed as the helicopter gently touched down. "Ah well, you better mind your manners! You still have to meet with Helian and she's got quite the no-nonsense attitude!"

Hatch shrugged. "Aint never met a woman I couldn't handle."

"Oh, you say that now, Yankee doodle! You will see."

"Yeah, I guess I will." Hatch undid the straps for his seat and adjusted his bomber jacket's fur collar before fetching his gear off the cabin floor. He yanked the door open amidst the slowing rotor wake, slung his gear, and made his way towards the main building.

"Hatch?! Um, Sergeant Hatch?!" Hatch hadn't even made it halfway across the tarmac when a woman's voice called out to him. His head snapped around, looking for the source of the voice before he focused on a small red-headed girl with a sideways ponytail jogging over towards him. A contractor? How did she know his name?

The tan GnK Jacket was the only thing connecting her to the organization. Her loose red tie, open blouse, hard knuckle gloves, short skirt, and mismatched stockings looked like they belonged on a stage girl about to do an act at a gentlemen's club. She couldn't be any older than twenty years old at best.

Hatch lowered his glasses slightly as she finally caught up with him, taking a few moments to catch her breath before straightening herself out. "Sergeant Hatch? Here to see Helian, right?"

"Yeah? That'd be me." Hatch adjusted his bag. "And you are?"

The cheerful girl outstretched a gloved hand with a bright smile. "I'm Kalina. I've been assigned as your adjutant starting today!"

Hatch raised an eyebrow as he gave her outfit another look. There's no way she wasn't slightly cold even with the thick jacket. "Adjutant? What, like a secretary or something?"

"Yes!"

Hatch put his glasses back up and shook his head. "I'm Charles Hatch. I was told my adjutant was going to be Vladimir Kalashnikov. If you're looking for my brother Benjy, he's still on his way."

Kalina gave a sigh and looked back at her tablet. "Oh, sorry for the confusion then." She then put on a smile. "Vladimir is really great at his job!"

"I'm sure he is. Trust me, you'll like Benj too. Anyways, I gotta dip. Great meeting you." Hatch spun on his heels and began to walk fast towards the complex as he muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, right. What do they think I am, a big brother?"

"Hey! Wait, a minute! There's no Charles!" Hatch winced as he heard Kalina find out his ruse. "Fuck."

In seconds, the upbeat adjutant was hot on his heels, giggling all the while. "Ah, they told me you'd probably pull something like that! You're such a trickster commander!"

Hatch rolled his eyes. "Yeah, congrats, you passed the test. And don't call me commander."

Kalina began scrolling through her tablet her eyes remaining glued on the disgruntled veteran. "Why not commander?"

"I was a Sergeant, not an officer. It sounds weird. Just call me, I dunno. Benj, Benjy, Hatchet, Sergeant Hatchet. Any of those work."

Kalina put a finger under her chin as they entered the warmth of the complex. "Commander Hatchet!"

"I—" Hatch grit his teeth. "We'll work on it for now."

* * *

 **GnK MAIN FACILITY, WAITING ROOM**

After an eternity of going through security checkpoints and Kalina's non-stop chattering, Hatch breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down, taking care to gently lower his gear to the floor.

He stretched his legs out with a satisfying crack before taking in his new surroundings, tucking his sunglasses into a jacket pocket. Everything had turned into a complete departure from what he had seen so far. Metal floors and high-tech hallways filled with the hustle and bustle of personnel were replaced by a room that looked like it had come straight out of the Victorian era.

Several large crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over a red carpeted floor. Fancy wooden chairs, identical to the one Hatch sat on, lined each of the oak walls, occasionally parted by a table or a curtained window.

At the center of the room, the large statue of a heavily built man stood with his arms folded casting a stern glare over any and all. Hatch had seen enough of the man's face in the news to recognize Berezovich Kryuger, his new boss. He looked every bit as intimidating as he did on television with his massive fur-collared coat and business suit. The man's expression demanded respect and Hatch knew he worked hard to get where he was now.

Hatch whistled. "Well. If you ever had any doubts who owned the place, that'll certainly keep you up to date."

"Ah yes, Mister Kryuger." Kalina took a seat next to Hatch and let her tablet rest on her knees. "He looks pretty intimidating, but he's a good man and a good leader. He runs our organization with firm fairness."

She paused to adjust her skirt before folding her arms. "He fought in the great war, you know. Not many people can say that."

"Yeah, I'm aware." Hatch's hand subconsciously floated over his dog tags, a gesture that caught Kalina's attention as she quickly looked back at her tablet her eyes going wide. "Oh wait. It says here you did too! Wow, America? Isn't it called the Rocksert Coalition now?"

"Yeah."

"So was it as ba—"

Hatch pointed at the statue of Kryuger. "Take a good look at his face. That should tell you all you need to know."

Kalina put a hand to her mouth as her face flushed in shame. "I'm sorry. I got a little carried away. It's just not often that we get veterans from the war here."

"It's alright, not the first time I've been asked that question." Hatch leaned forward and rubbed his calloused hands. "Probably won't be the last either."

Things were silent for a few moments before a hidden intercom crackled to life with a woman's British accent coming through. "Mister Hatch. You may enter my office via the double doors to your front. Make sure to close the doors behind you."

Hatch got up off his chair and looked back at Kalina. "Keep an eye on my stuff."

The adjutant nodded and gave him a thumbs up. Hatch returned the gesture before making his way to the large double doors at the far end of the room, passing by the statue on his way. He swore he could feel its eyes watching him every step of the way.

He took a deep breath as his hands reached the doors' golden handles, as if to brace himself for some terrible fight on the other side.

"Here goes nothing."

Hatch gave the handles a turn and pushed, the worn doors groaning as they opened. He shuffled in, the doors closing behind him.

Like the waiting room, Helian's office had much of the same architecture with a splash of modern. Large computer screens displaying maps lined the walls and stood in stark contrast to well-kept bookshelves and pre-war maps.

"Yes, it's all very nice, isn't it? Over here, mister Hatch."

Hatch's eyes followed a long red carpet atop the polished wooden floor leading to a desk at the far end of the narrow room. Behind it sat a well-dressed woman with fingers steepled, her elbows rested on her desk as she stared at Hatch behind a monocle with piercing citrine eyes.

Hatch's bootsteps made heavy echos as he made his way towards the desk, keeping his eyes on Helian the whole time. Once closer, the first thing Hatch noticed was that unlike Kalina, Helian was dressed for the occasion.

Not a hint of civilian attire, only the grooming of proper business standards. Her red coat, primly pressed, suggested she had an important position in the company, while her monocle gave her a charming, mature look. Much like Kryuger, her stern expression told him she would tolerate no bullshit.

She wasn't too bad looking on the eyes either. Had the circumstances been different, Hatch wouldn't mind taking her out for a drink.

"Benjamin Hatch. Service number five five nine two alpha nine. United States Marine Corps." Helian paused before as a blue hologram emanated from atop her desk. "Now the Rocksert Marines. Distinguished service as a Sergeant during World War 3 and subsequent operations with the Raiders as a 7314 Doll Coordinator."

Hatch nodded as he put his arms behind his back. "Wouldn't call it distinguished, ma'am. I just did as I was told and tried to keep my men alive."

Helian maintained her posture as her eyes continued to scan over Hatch's information. "Yes, I can see. Though, it says here you felt like you attempted to turn down a few commendations. Why?"

"I didn't bring everyone back."

"Given the nature of the war, I'd say you did well enough." Helian raised an eyebrow.

Hatch shook his head."Wish I could feel the same."

Helian turned the hologram off with a tap on her desk before putting a finger under her chin. "So why are you here today, mister Hatch? What brings you to our organization?"

Hatch let his arms rest at his side. "Guess I just couldn't keep the lifestyle behind me. Tried to live a quiet life up north. Didn't work—"

Helian interrupted. "And your mother needed your help? Widowed from the war while you were growing up. A noble cause. one should always strive to keep those they hold dear safe."

"I… yes." Hatch maintained his composure. Of course they would do more than a cursory background check. "She's all I got left in this world. I owe it to her after all she's done for me. I can assure you. She's secondary to why I'm here."

A lie.

"I see."

"So, mister Hatch." Helian removed her monocle and began to wipe it down with a handkerchief for a few moments. Satisfied it was cleaned to her liking she returned it to its proper place and glared at Hatch.

"When we received your resume, you failed to mention that you participated in several ELID cleanup operations. Why is that?"

Hatch furrowed his brow before folding his arms. "Probably because that's classified information. Like what's going on with my mother."

"Or maybe you didn't feel comfortable sharing."

"Maybe. Some things deserve to be buried."

"Nothing stays hidden from us for long." Helian interlocked her fingers and rested her chin on them. "That's how we've gotten so good at the game, you see."

Hatch only blinked. "Right. Of course, you throw enough money at something and eventually it'll give. I'm not a stranger to that. So let me ask: why does it matter?"

"Because the ELID and the contagion they carry represent the greatest threat to our species." Helian waved a hand at the rest of the base outside her office window. "It's why we're where we are today. Well, that and the Great War." She went back to resting her chin on her hands. "There are two kinds of people who have fought the ELID: those who die and join their ranks, and there are those who live and have a wealth of information to share."

Hatch shook his head. "And here I was thinking surviving World War 3 was enough."

Helian gave a coy smile. "It is. Combined with your experience fighting ELID, you're a very lucky man. Depending on how this conversation goes, perhaps even luckier. You certainly have the credentials to be here."

Hatch shook his head solemnly. "I don't consider myself lucky-"

"I have to ask. What was it like?" Helian interrupted and leaned in as if she didn't hear anything Hatch had said. "Is it as bad over there as they say?"

"I don't know. You tell me. Did you get the helmet cam footage? The names and unit designations? You were able to find out my mom needed help."

Helian raised an eyebrow. "Names?"

"The names of all the guys I lost? Their designations?"

"Designations?" Helian looked on incredulously. "I'm sorry mister Hatch, excuse me for a moment. As in doll designations? The manufacturer serial numbers?"

Hatch nodded, his expression only worsening. "Yeah, those. Those were my guys too."

Helian raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Guys? I'm sorry Hatch, but it sounded like you consider the dolls to be your men as well? You'll have to excuse my confusion here."

"Yes, guys! Am I speaking a different language?!" Hatch bit his bottom lip as he forced himself to calm down. "Look, you want to know what it was like? You keep me around and maybe you'll find out."

If Hatch's outburst had bothered Helian, she didn't show it.

Hatch sighed. "Now, with all due respect, is this a job interview or a psych eval? I don't know what else you've heard, but if you think I'll hesitate to pull triggers and kick down doors, you're wrong. You give me a squad of dolls and some pipe hitters, and I'll make them run circles around anyone or anything."

He let his arms rest by his sides as Helian spun her chair around and looked outside at the afternoon sunlight.

"I think that will be all for now, Mister Hatch. Please wait in the lobby and I'll call back for you."

"Right." Hatch spun on his heels. Once he left, Helian spun back around and pressed a button on her desk.

A light blue glow was cast over her face as the small hologram of a heavily built beast of a man appeared. His thick Russian accent came in loud and clear over a hidden speaker.

"Helian?"

The agent nodded. "Did you get all that, Mister Kryuger?"

The hologram folded his arms. "Yes, I did. We'll make use of him. Tell Commander Hatch he's been accepted. Ensure he gets his dolls and equipment checked out with Kalina. We're going to need him out in the field as soon as possible. That'll be all."

Helian nodded. "Yes sir, Mister Kryuger." She pressed a button and the hologram shifted to that of a floating microphone. "Browning, this is Helian."

The microphone began to vibrate as the voice transmission came through. "This is Browning. You need something, boss?"

"Yes, I'm going to need a team for your new commander."

There was a brief pause before the voice responded. "...New commander?"

"Yes. His name is Commander Hatch. He'll be replacing your previous superior."

"Alright..I'll put in the order with mainside. You want them shipped here or...?"

"No, I'll have them immediately assigned. Hatch will arrive with them within a day or so. " Helian stretched her back for a moment and was just about to cut the transmission when she stopped. "Browning, what is the status on M950A?"

"Calico? Last I checked, mainside was going to take her core out today. Why?"

Helian rubbed her chin. "How long does that take?"

"Not long depending on when they get around to it. I've got her in the system over here as standing by—"

"Good. That'll be all, Browning." Helian cut the transmission and switched the channel. "Maintenance bay. This is Helian, what is the status on M950A?"

There was a brief pause before a woman's voice came through. "Good afternoon, ma'am. Right now, she's being moved in for core extraction."

"Cancel that and have her sent to my office immediately. She's being reassigned."

"Come again? Reassigned? Are you sure?"

"Yes." Helian brought Hatch's resume back up on her screen and looked over some of the photos that accompanied it. "I think I might have finally found the proper home for her."

* * *

 **Nothing to really say as nothing has really kicked off yet. I'll be adding any acronyms below each chapter. If you have questions about HWGA don't crop it up here. You can PM me or ask elsewhere.**

 **Acronyms Used**

 **NOE-Nap of the Earth.**


	2. Old Dog New Tricks

This **was supposed to be out weeks ago, but then this shit called a Christmas vacation happened and my ass got sent all over the place. Regardless, here we are in 2019! Hope everyone had a good Christmas break.**

 **And is ready for a new year of shittery and god knows what else. Anyways, let's do this**.

* * *

 **Old Dog New Tricks**

 ** _"_** _Dolls changed everything from the moment they were conceived. Combat, manual labor. Hell, even adult entertainment. What's that, lost your dog? Here's a Dinergate. Need a babysitter? Hire an A doll. No better yet, why not buy one to help around the house?"_

 _-_ Excerpt from the Neo New York Times critically acclaimed book "I AM A.I."

 **1400 HOURS GnK HEADQUARTERS "Mainside"**

Thankfully, Hatch didn't have to wait long for Helian to call him back. A brief respite from Kalina's incessant chattering.

"So, Mister Hatch. Do you know why I called you back in here?"

Hatch folded his arms. "Well, there'd only be two reasons. I either got the position or I didn't."

Helian interlocked her fingers and rested her chin on them."You're a confident one. So tell me, what do you think?"

"I think you're just double checking. You spent considerable resources to get me here. It'd be a real waste to drop me at this point."

"I am and despite your brashness, both Mister Kryueger and myself think you have what it takes to join our ranks." She smiled coyly. "Welcome to Griffon and Kryueger, Commander Hatch."

Hatch nodded."Thank you, ma'am-"

"Don't call me ma'am. This is not the military and I am not an old woman." Helian's rebuttal almost caused Hatch to jump. He hadn't expected customs and courtesies to get such a response.

Helian rose from her desk. "Though we are a paramilitary organization you'll come to find that we do things very differently from the military. I have no doubt you'll acclimate well here, but there are things you need to know right off the bat."

She began to pace as she counted down on each finger. "One, we are not mercenaries. That's an uncivilized term for what we do. We are professional contractors."

Hatch watched his lecturer intently as she continued. "Two, we uphold strict standards. We are a business first and foremost which means we look and play the part. Our reputation is what it is because Mister Kryueger has put a great deal of time and money into making it so." Her pacing stopped. "You mess a job up and you slander that reputation."

"With all due respect, I was a Raider." Hatch furrowed his brow. "I know what I'm doing."

"I wish someone would have told that to the civilians at Checkpoint 13."

Hatch bit his bottom lip."And someone should have told them not to force their way through quarantine. Are you gonna brief me or do we need to go over my resume again?"

Helian sat back down and resumed her usual position. "I'll do what I need to ensure my personnel don't screw up. Now then, tell me something Commander Hatch. Are you perhaps familiar with Tactical dolls?"

"Uh yeah? Former doll coordinator?" Hatch stood there confused.

Helian dismissed response with a handwave. "No, no I don't mean those basic contraptions. I'm talking about the latest models."

"'Latest models?'" Hatch rubbed his chin. "Look I've been out of the game for a while, but I still remember what dolls are in service. If it's just a quick refresher course on new iterations I can handle that."

Helian scoffed before pressing a button on her desk. "And here I was thinking you were an expert. Calico, you may enter."

Hatch turned around as the doors to the office creaked opened, revealing a small woman. The confused commander tried to maintain his bearing as he sized the newcomer up. Neon Green hair tied into twin tails, a porcelain face that looked like it belonged on a child's doll.

The weird school girl raver outfit that looked not unlike cosplayers Hatch had heard about.

There was almost nothing military about her save for the hip holstered handgun Hatch was keeping a close eye on, a task that was easier said than done given the allure she had.

The girl stopped abreast of Hatch without even acknowledging his presence. "M950A Calico reporting as ordered."

Helian nodded with a raised hand. "Hatch, meet Calico. She is a Second Generation T doll manufactured by IOP and repurposed as a handgun class. Starting today she, and many others like her will be under your command."

Hatch's jaw dropped. "D-doll? That's a doll?! You're kidding me, right? Is this some sort've joke?"

"No, this is not a joke. What you're looking at is the latest in doll technology. Have you been living under a rock?"

Hatch facepalmed. "Yeah? Kinda? It's called living off the grid away from the main hubs for years."

Calico's pristine doll-like face regarded Hatch with a look of utter contempt as she pointed a latex-gloved finger. "He's not in uniform and doesn't even know what a T doll is? Yeah, I can already tell how this will go."

Hatch scoffed. "You know, when I was in our dolls didn't talk back and they sure as hell didn't look human. You'll have to excuse me."

"Well, welcome to the present old man."

Hatch waved his arms incredulously. "Civilian model dolls on combat missions." He gave a sarcastic chuckle. "Wow, you leave the game for a couple years only to find that everyone reinvented the wheel."

"And what's wrong with that?" Calico looked at her new commander with an indignant expression.

"No need to fix something that wasn't broke."

"Commander Hatch, are you doubting our choice in assets?" Helian bit her bottom lip as her patience began to dwindle.

"Uh, maybe?" Hatch stood there dumbfounded. "These dolls weren't made for combat, this is no better than giving a rookie a gun."

"Rookie?!" Calico's citrus colored eyes started to burn with scorn. "Who are you calling a rookie!?

"You? Do you have 50 plus combat missions under your belt?"

"You are definitely not the commander for me." Calico shook her head. "Yeah, I'll take the recycling thanks."

"If you can't stand the heat don't come walking in here like you own the place. I'm not gonna let someone dressed like a schoolgirl talk shit to me." Hatch rolled his eyes. "Like I said, definitely not military material."

Helian slammed her desk. "That's enough! Both of you are acting like children! Hatch these are the dolls we operate and that's final! They are more than enough for our purposes! You're a doll coordinator so this shouldn't be such a hard concept for you to grasp!"

She then pointed at Calico. "And you! This is exactly why you almost got recycled today! You should be lucky that Hatch arrived when he did and volunteered to accept you into his command!"

Calico looked back at Hatch in bewilderment, an expression that was mirrored by the commander. He had never said that, but he certainly wasn't going to argue with the clearly pissed off Superior.

The senior GnK official tried to maintain her composure through gritted teeth. "Hatch, get your gear, grab your team, and get to the helipad. I'll ensure all the necessary information is sent to you. Do I make myself clear?"

Hatch and Calico nodded in embarrassment.

"Right, dismissed."

Helian waited for the bickering duo to leave before opening her drawer and eyeing a bottle of scotch. "I may have need of your comforts old friend."

Once the pair left the office Hatch got his gear up off the ground and quickly made his way towards the exit. "Kalina let's go, we got things to do and a chopper to catch."

"Ah yes! Miss Helian forwarded all the information to me, I trust your meeting went well?" The slightly confused adjutant hurried behind her commander before taking notice of the newcomer. "Is she our new doll? Wow, a calico model! I heard they're really good."

Hatch didn't bother looking behind him."Yeah, real charmers."

Kalina ignored the tension in the air and lessened her pace to match Calico's. "My name's Kalina, I'm glad you could join our team." She smirked. "Don't let commander Hatch fool you, I think he just likes acting tough."

"Yeah, we'll see." Calico ignored Kalina's now outstretched hand as she quickened her pace.

* * *

For many years Hatch had led men, women, and robots into some of the worst conditions war had to offer. He had learned to accept and work with various backgrounds bringing diversity together to accomplish whatever mission was thrown its way.

There was a limit to his patience, however, and right now that limit was reached. He stood there slack-jawed as he looked over his new team.

Not a single one of them was wearing anything remotely tactical. Even with the olive drab packs and weapons they toted, Hatch wasn't sure if he was looking at tactical dolls or video game characters brought to life.

Very attractive ones at that, save for the childlike one brandishing a revolver. The oversized Russian winter clothing on her was a red flag.

To make matters worse he could see the same Russian helicopter pilots from before waving at him from within their aircraft. They would be his terrifying ride to the new base of operations.

"Oh wow! This is quite the team we got here Commander!" Kalina ran up and examined each of the dolls. "Really cute too! Don't you think Commander Hatch?"

"Yeah.." Hatch's voice trailed off as his eyes fixated on one of the dolls. Her semi-exposed bust was massive and coupled with the minimalist outfit Hatch was certain he was just looking at a stripper with a submachine gun.

How she wasn't cold only added to his confusion.

The doll saluted as she brought her stylish boots together. "Commander Hatch! Spectre M4 reporting for duty." She suddenly cocked her head to the side causing a tuft of purple hair to drift over one of her amber colored eyes. "Is something the matter?"

This wasn't going to be good and Hatch knew it. Whoever designed some of these dolls had clearly wanted their handlers to succumb to temptation. That or they simply lacked any sort of tactical mindset.

Hatch fixed the straps for his gear in an attempt to shake the disbelief. "Nothing, just never seen doll models like you before."

Another doll dressed in some sort of lolita maid outfit gave a sultry giggle as she rapidly spun a pistol in her gloved hand. "You haven't seen anything yet Commander. We won't disappoint you, I promise."

Calico scoffed at the sight of her commander's visible discomfort, she knew better and was likely able to detect his heightened vitals.

Hatch ignored her and gestured towards the helicopter. "I'm sure you won't. We can go over pleasantries and introductions later though, let's go."

The dolls and Kalina waited for their commander to pass before forming into a single file line behind him, like ducklings following their mother.

"Christ, I just need a fucking drink and a cigarette." Hatch mumbled as he put his sunglasses back on.

"Oh Yankee Doodle!" One of the pilots laughed heartily from behind his helmet before his co-pilot nudged him in the ribs. "Oh, I mean Commander Hatch! Congratulations on big promotion, I told Dimitri you could do it, but he doesn't believe me."

"Ah shut it Khadrov. Americans are tough breed like us, I knew he would make it." Dimitri gave Hatch a crooked smile before putting his helmet on. "We are glad to see you all the same Commander. Khadrov and I are being assigned to your base, this is fate we think."

"Fate?" Hatch rolled his eyes. "This is one of the cruelest fates I've ever seen."

"You honor us with your confidence!" Khadrov began flipping switches and checking readouts before waving at the Russian doll. "Privyet Malyshka!"

The doll in question fixed the sleeves to her white fur jacket and grinned as her white Ushanka teeter-tottered. "Privyet comrade!"

Hatch forcefully slid the helicopter door open and stood off to the side as the dolls piled in. The last one gave pause however and regarded the aircraft with nervous green eyes as she clutched her ancient-looking rifle. "C-commander Hatch? I've never flown before. I-is it safe?"

Hatch had almost facepalmed and yelled, but he gave pause. She wasn't a normal doll and she wasn't a normal flesh and blood soldier. Irritated as he was, this wasn't the time to pull the NCO* card.

"What's your name, or..designation."

The doll brushed her long brown hair back and straightened her dress. "F-FN49."

Hatch gave the aircraft a pat. "Well, 49? This right here is a BlackHawk helicopter, one of the best damn utility helicopters ever designed. She's fast, sleek and durable. You couldn't pick a better ride. That's U.S., ingenuity right there."

"U.S.?"

Hatch corrected himself with a solemn expression. "I mean, Rocksert."

Comforted, the doll managed a nervous smile. "O-okay. Are you s-sure?"

Hatch folded his arms. "I've been on more than 50 missions in these things, I wouldn't fly in anything else."

He had also crashed in plenty of them.

Realizing that statement didn't calm the nervous doll down Hatch resorted to another approach. "Tell you what, you can sit next to me. How's that?"

FN49 nodded, clearly emboldened by the gesture. "O-okay." With trepidation and a healthy push from Hatch, the doll occupied an empty seat with her commander taking up position beside her. Once the door was closed and everyone buckled in it wasn't long before the aircraft's engines began to whine to life.

"Hokay! Greetings all, welcome aboard the friendly skies. I am Khadrov, your pilot. Dimitri, my brother, is your co-pilot. Today's weathers are very nice and hopefully not filled with rockets and small arms fire!"

"R-Rockets!?" FN49 looked around nervously as the pilots started laughing. The other dolls save for a disgruntled Calico didn't look any less thrilled and seemed to be taking the joke to heart.

Hatch folded his arms and leaned back against his seat. "Just get us to base and stop dicking around!"

Khadrov grinned before returning his attention to his flight stick. "Rodzher komandir!"

As the aircraft started swaying back and forth suddenly Hatch grit his teeth as his bicep was caught in an incredibly tight vice grip.

He didn't need to look to see who it was and in truth he didn't care anymore. Everything up till now had been a blatant deconstruction of even the most basic military protocol. This joke team was clearly some test given to him in order to gage his leadership ability. Resigning himself to the terrible situation he was caught in Hatch simply lowered his beanie down over his eyes and tried to get what little sleep he could.

Meanwhile, Kalina nudged a less than amused Calico with a grin."See? I told you there was more to our commander than meets the eye!"

* * *

 **1700 HOURS, GNK CONTROLLED TERRITORY, SECTOR 9**

After what felt like a lifetime of sharp turns and the screams of excitement mixed with terror Hatch breathed a sigh of relief as the aircraft began to level out.

Despite the fact FN49 was still maintaining her grip.

"Hokay! Ladies and gentlemen, we are finally home! We hope you all had pleasant flight!"

Hatch looked out the window and down at the compound below as the helicopter maintained a holding pattern above as it waited for clearance to land.

If the main base had been the Ritz this new outpost was absolutely Spartan in comparison. Gone were the excess amounts of runways and hi-tech buildings. In their place were only a few scattered supply buildings a barracks and what looked like a command center. All of this was surrounded by a large concrete wall with a few automated turrets scattered at uneven intervals atop it.

Thankfully the outpost was situated atop a hill overlooking a small river. The perfect vantage point. Or place to make a last stand should things go south.

It was a FOB*, a little slice of heaven Hatch was all too familiar with.

"49 I think we're okay now you can let go of the Commander. Unless you need him to princess carry you too." Calico had been keeping to herself up till now, occasionally rolling her eyes or scoffing at the sight of FN49's continued state of distress. Clearly she had gotten fed up and felt the need to voice her irritation.

"Oh, I'm sorry." FN49 finally let go leaving Hatch to rub the sore spot as he winced. "I-I've just never flown before."

"But I told you we'd be fine, didn't I?" Hatch raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, you-"

"Listen to me next time then. I wouldn't lie to you."

FN49 looked down in embarrassment. "Yes, Commander Hatch."

Hatch went back to looking out the window as he brought his a hand up to his earpiece. "So, what's the story with this place Kalina."

"Ah yes, Sector 9!" Kalina flipped through her tablet for a few seconds. "One of the more remote outposts, it's more for surveillance than anything."

Hatch felt a wave of reassurance spread over him. That meant the likelihood of important people coming through was slim. It also meant enemy contact would likely be non-existent."

The commander raised an eyebrow."So, enemy activity has been?"

Kalina shrugged. "Pretty quiet. In fact, Commander Matthias hadn't reported any Sangvis Ferri activity in months."

The lolita doll from earlier sighed as she twirled strands of her long brown hair in lazy circles. "Most disappointing, I would hope there would be at least something to punish. I'll just have to find other things to play with."

She then smiled at Hatch. "But I'm sure the Commander won't keep us idle for long, will he?"

Calico gave a look of disgust. "You're insane you know that?"

The lolita doll chuckled. "And you flatter me."

Hatch ignored the banter and looked back at his adjutant. "Commander Matthias?"

"Yes, he was the last one in charge." Kalina nodded. "You actually missed his helicopter pass by us on the way here."

"He passed by us?" Hatch sat there confused. "What, he just upped and left?"

"Well, yes. With the automated defenses and other personnel remaining it wasn't like the base was in any danger." Kalina cocked her head to the side. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, complacency kills." Hatch shook his head. "Whatever, we'll go over the rest when we touch down."

As the helicopter began to land Hatch could make out a man in dirty olive drab coveralls and a boonie hat making his way over from a nearby garage. Hopefully, he was second in command as right now all the commander wanted nothing more than some direction and the comfort of his quarters. Once the helicopter landed Hatch opened the troop bay door and waited for the last member of his team to pile out before disembarking himself. He made his way to the man and offered a hand as they began to get out of the downwash.

"Commander Benjamin Hatch and you are!?"

The man flashed a wide grin and shook Hatch's hand vigorously. "G'day boss, welcome to the most uninteresting post ever! Ted Doogan at yer service. I'm in charge of the motor pool here on base. I also manage the armory too so when you get all situated I'll get you kitted up."

Hatch raised an eyebrow. "Quite the workload you got there Doogan."

The Australian mechanic let go of Hatch's hand with a nod."O yeah, that it is, but you know what they say. Hard work means hard play, and boss, I love me some time off."

Hatch looked back at the helicopter as the rotors began to slow to a halt. "I can agree with that. Say, you wouldn't happen to fly better than those two clowns would you?"

"Pfft. Of course I can. If it flies or drives I can crew it. There's nobody better than me boss."

Hatch smiled sincerely for the first time since had been in Eastern Europe, it felt good to be around someone level-headed. "And confident too, I like that Doogan. I think you and I are gonna get along great, but here's an even more important question. You smoke?"

Doogan didn't skip a beat as he quickly reached into his pocket and passed his commander a half crushed pack of cigarettes. "Of course, you have to in this line of work."

"Amen to that." Hatch plucked a cigarette from the pack and lit it using a silver zippo he took out of his breast pocket. He took a few savory drags before letting out a cloud of smoke with a sigh. "Thanks, I needed that." He took another drag before looking around. "Much as I'd love to sit and chat, I got shit to do. Who's next in the chain?"

Doogan rubbed his blonde goatee for a few moments before shrugging."That's a good question. I guess Chief Engineer Browning. Commander Matthias always delegated shit to him."

"Browning? Like John Moses Browning?" Hatch raised a curious eyebrow.

"Yeah, somethin' like that. Michael Browning. I don't think he's from the same family though and he gets asked that question a fuck ton. Just call him Michael or Mike."

"Right, so where might I find him?"

Doogan pointed to a large jet black warehouse building adjacent to the garage. "Over there. He's probably busy doin' god knows what, but I'm sure he can make an exception for you."

Hatch took one last drag before crushing the cigarette with his boot. "Yeah, I'd hope so." He looked back at his gaggle of dolls. "So where are the barracks at? I need to get this lot checked in."

"Opposite end of the FOB." Doogan waved his hand. "So like, right around the other side of the main buildin'. Can't miss em'."

"Got it." Hatch adjusted the straps for his gear. "Alright girls. Go stow your gear and get situated. Soon as I get everything sorted out I'll come stop by. Kalina, you're with me."

All of the dolls except for Calico rogered up and began making their way to the barracks.

"Um." Hatch looked on incredulously. "Is there a problem?"

"I'm your echelon leader so I deserve to be appraised of the situation. Consider me next in your chain of command." Calico responded matter of factly.

"Oh, so you just self-appointed yourself? Yeah no, that's not how this works."

Kalina flipped through her tablet. "Actually commander, she is qualified for the job. She's a very capable model."

Hatch rubbed his temple in frustration."So I guess I can just go fuck myself? Do I get a say in fucking anything that goes on here?"

"Now with an attitude like that you won't. Relax, I won't subvert your authority." Calico gently brushed past her flustered commander and smiled with a sing-song voice. "'Would I lie to you?'"

Hatch bit his bottom lip ignoring Kalina's chuckles. "No, I guess you wouldn't.'Echelon Leader.'"

Doogan looked at Hatch then back at Calico before shrugging. "Right-o. Well, I'll be at the garage. Stop by later after hours boss, I got a cooler filled with some goodies of the alcoholic kind. You look like you could use it."

Hatch sighed as he followed after Calico and Kalina. "That sounds fucking amazing Doogan. I'll keep that in mind thank you."

 **XXXXXXX**

As the trio got closer towards the building the sound of 80's rock music and welding began to intensify. Thick smoke billowed out of open bay doors and windows slowly rising into the air carrying with it the stench of burning plastic causing Kalina and Calico to hold their noses.

It didn't bother Hatch however, he had been around machines his whole life. To him this was another day at work. He shook his head at the pair with a less than amused expression.

"You two wait out here if it's too much. I'll go talk to him."

Both Kalina and Calico seemed more than agreeable with this option and simply nodded.

Hatch pushed his way past them and into the machine shop, only pausing to stare in awe at his surroundings once he was inside. Every inch of the shop was covered in technology. Cables hung down from the ceiling and over shelves of robotic parts and other accessories. Giant screens scattered around the room pulsed to the music as they relayed information Hatch could only vaguely understand. On the far side of the room were metal stairs that led to a loft above, no doubt the place Michael rested his head after a long day of work.

To Hatch, it was like one big toy store only the toys here were probably capable of vaporizing entire neighborhoods. He looked around the room some more until something familiar caught his eye causing him to rush over in excitement.

Attached to a wall mounted maintenance frame a large armored humanoid silently stood hunched over with its head slumped forward. It easily dwarfed Hatch, an impressive feat considering he was at least six feet and some change. Every inch of the figure was covered in thick dark green armor plates and storage containers. All of this led up to a small head that was just as armored as the rest of the body. It was partially obscured behind an armored shield that came up to just under where its eyes would be. This was a machine designed for dishing out damage just as well as it could take it, a simple yet brutally efficient design.

Hatch ran a hand over its breastplate and wiped some dust off revealing a name he read aloud with a smile.

"Aegis, Ga series."

He paused as his hand passed over a small rectangular hole in the doll's breastplate. He fingered the hole for a bit and withdrew his hand quizzically.

"Where's your AI core buddy? You can't be of any use without a core."

Hatch gave a quick glance around the shop a second time. He couldn't see Michael though he could certainly hear the sounds of welding continue.

"Well..no reason to let a perfectly good doll sit idle."

Hatch reached into his pack and fumbled around inside for a few moments before taking out a thin gray rectangle. He ran a finger over the duct tape stuck to the front of it upon which was written in black sharpie "Dozer". He blew on the connector ports before lining it up with the doll's slot.

"Alright, buddy. Time to wake up, I need you here."

With a firm push, he inserted the device until it clicked into place. No sooner had he done so the machine came to life as a deep voice boomed out of hidden speakers.

" _ **AI CORE DETECTED BEGINNING START-UP PROCEDURE**_."

Electronic systems whined and hummed as power coursed throughout the doll. Numerous neon green lights blinked on and off as the doll's large gauntlets began to open and close.

" _ **ARTICULATORS...FULLY FUNCTIONAL**_."

Hatch took a step back in awe as the doll's head began to turn left and right, 3 neon green visors blinking on as the machine began to take stock of its surroundings.

" _ **SCANNERS...FULLY OPERATIONAL. BLACK BOX INTACT. POWER AT OPTIMUM LEVELS.**_ "

Hatch nodded in satisfaction. "Well good to know Michael didn't let you sit around without power."

The doll's head slowly turned to face Hatch as its visors began to glow brighter.

" _ **GA SERIES AEGIS SUIT FULL OPERATIONAL. UNIT DESIGNATION D-0Z3R1, CALLSIGN DOZER. LAST KNOWN BOOT UP….SCANNING….9 YEARS AGO**_."

"Yeah, I know bro. It's been too long." Hatch reached into his shirt and pulled out his dog tags, holding them up high in the air for the doll to see. Dozer's visors pulsed for a few moments more before slowly dimming.

" _ **SQUAD LEADER DETECTED. SERGEANT BENJAMIN HATCH, SERVICE NUMBER FIVE FIVE NINE TWO ALPHA NINE**_."

Hatch smiled as he returned his dog tags back to their proper place. "Welcome back old friend. Dozer, status report."

" _ **THIS UNIT IS READY TO CONTINUE COMBAT OPERATIONS, SERGEANT**_."

Hatch fist pumped. "Right on brother. Now hold tight while I-"

" _ **OBSTRUCTION DETECTED, REMOVING**_."

"Say what?"

The doll took notice of the frame it was attached to for a few moments before proceeding to grab a hold of anything it could as it began to pry itself free.

Hatch quickly put his hands up. "Whoa whoa! Dozer hang on buddy! WAIT STOP!"

Dozer was single-minded in purpose, however, and Hatch's yelling did little to stop it. It lacked the ability to reason like the civilian model dolls GnK employed.

Military issue, the lowest bidder struck again.

As the doll began to tear cables and destroy the wall behind it a Caucasian man in greasy black coveralls came running in with a small four-legged bot following him. He skid to a halt and defensively held up a blowtorch in a cybernetic arm.

"What the hell!? What the hell did you do?!"

Hatch put his arms up in defense. "I just put the core in! I didn't know shit for brains was going to start tearing things apart!"

"An AI core!? Where the hell did you get that?!" The man could only look on in horror as delicate instruments were crushed in the dolls grip as it sought to join its old Sergeant. Finally free of its holdings Dozer dropped down onto the floor causing nearby shelves to topple.

The doll looked at the two for a few moments before standing uncomfortably close to Hatch. " _ **OBSTRUCTION REMOVED, REGROUPING WITH OPERATOR."**_

The man looked at Dozer back at the mess it made then over at Hatch with his mouth agape in disbelief. "I.."

Hatch extended an arm with a nervous smile. "So uh, you must be Chief Engineer Michael. I'm commander Hatch. Nice to meet you?"

Kalina and Calico came running at the sound of the commotion and skid to a halt upon seeing the mess and the newly awakened Aegis doll. No sooner had Dozer spotted Calico it immediately shifted to face her as it put itself between Hatch and her line of sight, its visors now glowing a dark red.

" _ **WARNING WARNING, ARMED DOLL IN THE AO. MAINTAINING POSTURE. NON COMBATANTS ADVISED TO LEAVE THE AREA.**_ "

Hatch quickly kicked the doll in the back. "Dozer stand down you idiot!. Override code Alpha Bravo!"

" _ **CONFIRMED, TARGET DESIGNATED AS ALLY. STANDING DOWN**_."

Hatch let out a puff of air in exasperation before clapping his hands.

"Right, well. I guess introductions are in order?"

 **XXXXXX**

Hatch sat at the end of a small table with Dozer in its usual spot as he received his berating.

"The higher-ups told me you had experience with dolls, but I didn't think you'd just start slamming AI cores into things and fuck up my shop." Michael put his prosthetic hand up. "Correction, my goddamn home."

Hatch threw his hands up in defense. "Look, it's not like anyone fucking died. I remember the proper subroutines and fail-safes, he wouldn't have harmed anyone."

"He?"

"Yeah, he. What, I'm not allowed to name my dolls and give em personalities? You think I didn't see your dinergate bot running around?"

Michael curled his lips. "His name is Biscuit and who said that doll is yours?"

Hatch kicked his boots up onto the table and leaned back against Dozer. "The AI core belongs to me, no core no doll and he only listens to me so.."

"I'll deal with that later. Regardless, the doll was perfectly fine sitting there." Michael fixed his glasses with a frown.

"You're going to let a perfectly good Aegis doll sit there? A goddamn GA?" Hatch scoffed. "I think the better question is, where did you even get this thing?! Last I checked these models aren't for sale outside of the military yet."

"I have my connections. Since we're asking questions where did you get an AI core?"

Hatch smirked. "I have my connections."

Michael folded his arms. "Alright smartass." He then looked over at Calico, maintaining his frown all the while. "Your new commander is a real piece of work. Not sure if I should be happy you avoided the recycling or say a prayer for you."

Calico leaned back in her chair and shrugged. "Well, despite the fact he almost got me killed by the murder bot and acts like a jackass. He did volunteer to take me in maybe there's a silver lining."

She fixed her eyes on her commander. "Maybe."

"Doors over there sweetheart you can leave whenever, or you can work for Michael. You two seem to get along great."

"I used to be assigned here before I pissed my last commander off," Calico smirked at her irritated commander. "He couldn't handle me so I spent most of my time here in Michael's shop. Besides someone needs to keep you in line. So no, you're not getting rid of me that easily."

Michael sighed. "And here you are bringing worries and woes into my shop again. Poor Biscuit is terrified, look at him." Michael pointed at the bot from before, its small rectangular chassis sat shaking under the table as it's single red eye blinked on and off.

Calico beckoned to the dinergate model with a smile. "Aww, poor Biscuit. Come here you little bucket of bolts."

Biscuit beeped enthusiastically before trotting over on its stumpy legs and hopping into her lap. It got comfortable and gave what sounded like a sigh before blinking its light off.

"That is disgustingly adorable." Hatch shook his head. "Reminds me of the one back home I bought for my mom."

"Well, he's certainly more adorable than you."

Hatch stuck a middle finger at Calico."Bite me watermelon head."

"Oh shush you two." Kalina smiled. " I think the commander handled the situation well. Did you see how quickly he took command of that doll? That's experience and professionalism right there!"

Hatch sarcastically clapped his hands. "Thanks for the vote of confidence Kalina. Your support is a beam of light in my otherwise dark life."

Kalina obviously didn't get the joke and seemed to take it to heart as she grinned. "You're welcome, Commander! I'm glad I can be!"

"Riight. Anyways." Hatch returned his attention to Michael. "Look, I apologize for being a dickhead. I'm still busting the rust and trying to get situated here. I knew I could handle Dozer and to be honest I need something familiar around me right now."

He sat upright and extended a hand. "Look, let's put this behind us and push forward. I can see you like your tech and your dolls. I respect that. I need strong support behind me if I'm gonna make this base work." Hatch focused his gaze on the dog tags around Michael's neck. "And as a fellow veteran who's also far away from home, I'd like for us to be on even terms brother."

"That's a part of my past I'd like to leave behind." Michael fixed his collar so that the dog tags were obscured. "But all the same, the damage is light and I like to be busy." He extended his prosthetic arm and gave Hatch's a firm squeeze.

"Guys like us couldn't leave that life behind us if we wanted to." Hatch examined the rugged military issued bionic arm. "I think you know that just as well as I do, don't you?"

"I wish I didn't."

"We all do."

The pair let go of each other and Michael went back to folding his arms. "Well, as you can tell. I'm the doll technician around here, been with IOP and GnK for a long ass time. I run a tight ship and as you can see I know what the hell I'm doing."

"You do it all alone?" Hatch raised an eyebrow. "Pretty impressive."

"Well the workload is light and I don't want dumbasses crowding my space. That being said, nothing happens around here anyway and I chose this post for that reason. I've got a few months left on my contract before I get out so I'd like some peace and quiet."

"I can respect that, I'll be sure to not crowd your time."

"I hope so. You keep those girls safe, they're quality dolls Hatch. They might not tank 40mm grenades or smash cars apart like your pet over there, but they'll get the job done. I promise you."

"We'll see." Hatch got up from the table. "I'll take your word for now until proven otherwise. I still gotta train with them." He spun his hand around as he fetched his belongings off the ground. "Calico, Kalina, Dozer. Let's go."

Dozer's visors flashed as the doll stomped off after its commander. " _ **CONFIRMED, THIS UNIT IS IN MOTION**_."

Michael got up from his chair with a frown. "Uh, where do you think you're taking that?"

"Don't worry I'll tweak his programming!" Hatch continued on his way out of the door and waved behind him. "Thanks for reuniting us! Oh and I might be bringing everyone together later, try to be there bud!"

"You can't just run off with an Aegis suit Hatch! He's going to-" Michael facepalmed. "You know what? Fuck it, keep the stupid thing."

As Kalina and Calico walked off to join their commander Michael put a hand on Calico's shoulder and stopped her. "Be honest with me. What do you think of him?"

Calico looked at Michael then back at Hatch and his trusty Aegis sidekick before smiling. "I think this will be fun, that's what I think. What about you?"

"I think he's going to be a pain in my ass, but if you're happy with him then I'm fine with that."

"Who said I was happy?"

Michael grumbled. "Please, don't try to fool me. Now go run off after your scoundrel of a commander before his dumbass statue breaks something else."

"Of course." Calico stopped at the entrance before turning on her heels and smiling. "Dad."

"And stop calling me dad!" Michael raised a wrench in irritation as the doll ran off. "Goddamn dolls, gonna be the death of me. Isn't that right Biscuit?" He bent down and gave his Dinergate a reassuring pat on the head before going back to his workbench.

* * *

Fortunately the rest of the afternoon went a lot smoother after the incident in Michael's shop and Hatch's tour of the FOB put him in high spirits. The compound itself had all the things necessary for life on a FOB. A gym, a rec room modern logistics rooms, and a well-stocked mess hall. Hatch also took time to ensure his dolls were properly housed. Sultry looking bots or not they acted human enough for him to actually start to worry about their wellbeing, a fact he took note of many times.

Though whether or not they would even need the accommodations was research best left to the mountain of manuals he had been forwarded by Kalina.

Hatch was nothing short of impressed with his room once he got around to it. In fact, it felt like a bachelor's pad in comparison to the NCO barracks he was used to. His own bathroom, encrypted wifi, a couch, a fridge, and even a TV.

His office was no less comfy either, perhaps a bit too comfy. In the end Hatch brushed it all off as simply the end result of a PMC organization with deep pockets. The private sector and the military were two very different beasts after all.

Of course, all good things had to come to an end and before he knew it Hatch was already sending out the notification for his big meetup with all his personnel. Though in truth it was more of a speech than anything.

He had already had his pep talk with the dolls earlier and despite their eccentric personalities, Hatch was able to memorize their roles. Only time would tell how they would handle themselves on the job.

Hatch rubbed his now clean-shaven chin in contemplation as he looked at the audience that had gathered in a semi-circle before him in front of the main building. Engineers, dolls, mechanics, and armorers.

Of course, there was Dozer too. The doll stood motionless at its commander's side as it continued to scan its surroundings. Kalina flanked Hatch's other side, being his adjutant did have its perks after all.

It was a large congregation and the fact that all of it was under Hatch's command was a bit overwhelming. He adjusted the sling for his newly issued M4 and kept one hand on its pistol grip while he let the other hang loosely at his side.

"I want to start by saying thanks for coming here on such short notice. I know things were a little sudden. Believe me, my entire morning has been like this since the moment I stepped off the plane."

Hatch ensured he got a look at every person present as he continued his speech.

"To any of you who don't really know who I am, my names Benjamin Hatch. I was born in California, raised over in West Virginia. Yeah, that was back during the days California was still ours. That's also back during the days there was still this thing called the United States. Maybe some of you remember that maybe some of you don't. Regardless, I hold home very near and dear to my heart. That's why I enlisted in the Marines which is how I'm here in front of all of you today."

He began to pace back and forth as he tried to shake off the unease he was feeling. The last time he had given a speech was years ago and it was to a broken and shattered squad that needed morale.

"Yes, I did serve in World War 3 and yes it was as terrible as you've heard. I want to say it made me better, but these days I really don't know. I thought I could get out and enjoy some years of quiet and healing, but I guess, well."

He gave a nervous chuckle.

"I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time. Now here I am, but look. I'm not here to give you my life's story or try to give some awe-inspiring speech about the virtues of the human spirit. We all know about the fucked up world we live in and I'm sure we all have compelling reasons to be here today."

Hatch paused from pacing and stood next to Dozer. "I wanted to bring you all here so you know who's taking command and what my intentions are as your new commander." He sighed. "My father always told me. 'Son, if you're mad enough to come chasing after your old man and put the uniform on please listen to me when I tell you these words. Be a friend, be a mentor and above all be a leader. Cause you'll only ever be as good as the team you lead.' Those are words I've stood by to this day."

Hatch went back to pacing.

" I don't know what kind of man Commander Matthias was and I'm not here to reinvent the wheel in his departure. I'm saying all this because starting today I consider all of you my family. That's what a team is supposed to be, a family. That means you're gonna have your good eggs and your bad eggs, all that shit."

He paused again and brought his hands together. "I've got a lot of flaws, but let it never be said I've never cared about those under my charge. Without the people working under me, my leadership is pointless, it's a title without meaning. That means all of you matter to me, each and every one of you. I could hate the absolute dog shit out of you, but I will still ensure you have the proper accommodations and are treated with the same basic human dignity as anyone else."

He folded his arms. "I'm a newcomer which means I'm going to look to you to keep me up to date with what's going on here. I still remember the basics, but I was in the Marines not a Private Military Contractor in Eastern Europe. That means I can't get anywhere if all of you think I'm a scumbag. Pretty simple right?"

Hatch noted that more than a few heads nodded in response, a good sign. It meant he was getting somewhere.

"We got a long road ahead and we're all gonna need to be singing off the same sheet of music if we want to get paid. So with all that said, you guys keep doing what you do best and I'll do what I gotta do to ease into the groove of things. So, yeah."

He stood there awkwardly for a few moments and curled his lips. "If anyone has anything for me, my doors are always opened. Barring that you let Kalina know and she'll relay it up to me. I was a Sergeant, not a battalion commander so I might be a little overwhelmed with the logistics, Bare with me. So, yeah. I guess that's it. You all go do what you gotta do."

Hatch clapped his hands. "Dismissed."

Slowly but surely everyone left including the dolls leaving Hatch alone with Kalina.

"That was a good speech Commander Hatch. You never cease to surprise do you?"

"You're my number one fan aren't you?" Hatch reached over and ruffled the young adjutant's hair with a smirk. "I had to say something."

"Well, you certainly said something alright." Kalina fixed her hair. "Commander Matthias wasn't particularly amazing or bad, he just existed. Perhaps you'll breathe new life into this place."

Hatch shrugged and smacked the side of Dozer's head causing the doll to rapidly look around as if it had been woken up. "I'm not here to do any of that Kalina. I'm here to get paid and that's not gonna happen if everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off."

Kalina smiled and flipped through her tablet. "Well, if you say so, Commander. Are you off to retire for the evening?"

"Hell yeah I am." Hatch snapped his fingers prompting Dozer to stomp after him. "I'm gonna need a day to acclimate and get adjusted. Make sure the dolls are good to go and you're all clear for the evening."

"Of course commander, will there be anything else?"

Hatch paused and put a finger under his chin. "Yeah get me slotted for the sim room after tomorrow. I need to let some brass fly."

"Roger that." Kalina tapped the necessary information into her tablet before waving. "Good night commander."

"Yep, you too."

Kalina waited for Hatch and his sidekick to leave before flipping through her tablet some more and bringing up a live video call with Helian patiently waiting at her desk.

"Did you get all of that Miss Helian?"

The official interlocked her fingers before nodding. "Yes. The man certainly has a way with words." She paused to sip at a small glass of brown liquid. "For better or for worse."

"I think he's going to do great Miss Helian." Kalina smiled. "There's a good man underneath that gruff exterior."

"We shall see." Helian took another sip before cutting the feed leaving Kalina to walk off to the other dorms.

* * *

 **HATCH'S QUARTERS 0100 HOURS**

"Well….well." Hatch struggled to maintain the grip on his guitar as he quickly downed his 13th shot of rum. His head felt like it was spinning and the fact he hadn't had anything proper to eat earlier wasn't helping either. He stumbled around in his boxers for a moment before playing a few chords and glancing at Dozer. The doll stood in the far corner of the room next to a window and watched as its commander fell deeper into alcoholism.

" _ **WARNING OPERATOR VITALS SPIKING, RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE ASSESSMENT**_."

"Oh hush, I'm just cuttin' loose. Can I fucking do t-that?" The drunken commander fell onto his couch and looked across his room at the flag mounted on his wall. He strummed a few more chords as he squinted at the ancient piece of fabric and its familiar stars and stripes.

To anyone else it was a relic of a lost superpower, but to Hatch it was home. It was the old days before the world was torn apart by war.

The flag of the United States of America. Hatch's home before it became the coalition known as Rocksert.

"Here I am again with my bottle and this..fucking guitar." He paused and rapidly looked around before falling off the couch and onto his rear. "No, no I'm sorry! I didn't mean to exclude you guys."

He got up and made his way over towards a shelf that was under the flag and the pile of dog tags that sat atop it next to an old portrait.

"I-I just you know. I didn't mean to forget, I mean I didn't forget at all." He hiccuped and strummed a few more chords. "I'm just, you know."

A tear slid down his face. "I miss you guys and I-I'm all far away from home and mom. Christ the world's really changed."

He looked back at Dozer with one eye open and an incredulous look. "Yes mom's fine, why wouldn't she be fine? Gosh, you worry wart." He returned his attention to the shrine and frowned.

"I have an entire base under my command now. An entire goddamn base. You know what that means right?"

He rapidly played a few chords and with closed eyes as he matched his tune to that of the music that was playing off his laptop.

"That means I can't fuck this up. The stakes are higher and mom's counting on me. She can't keep supporting herself." He opened his eyes and stumbled around the room some more. "That also means..there's more lives I have to look out for."

His face twisted into one of agony as he looked back at the shrine. "And I couldn't even fucking do that with you!"

" _ **IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT BENJY. YOU STILL HAVE ME**_."

Hatch brought a free hand up to his ear and closed his eyes shut. "Shut Up Dozer, you're not actually talking. You know I fucking hate it when you do that."

" _ **THEN WHY DO YOU KEEP PRETENDING I DO? WHY DO YOU KEEP DROWNING YOURSELF IN LIQUOR EVERYTIME YOU CAN?**_ "

"Because it helps." Hatch stumbled around some more before pausing to look at his reflection in a wall mounted mirror. A mess of scar tissue and tattoos adorned his military toned body. Many a bedfellow had admired it with some even calling it a turn on. Hatch hated it, it was just another reminder of the years he had endured during his time in.

Suddenly a feminine whistle came from behind Hatch causing him to play the wrong chords as he jumped. "Wow, terrible taste in music and undergarments. Least he can play well though."

Calico.

" _ **ECHELON LEADER ON DECK**_."

"Can it rust bucket."

Hatch frowned as he turned around. She was seriously killing his vibes. "Is there a particular reason why you're making it your goal in life to irritate me?"

"Please, you wish you were a goal of mine."

"Evidently I am considering you barged in here at 1 am."

Calico shrugged before plopping down on Hatch's couch and kicking her boots off. "Shoulda put a sign-up. This is a nice place you got here commander. Makes me kinda jealous, here I am having to sleep in a squad bay and you're in club med."

"You sleep?" Hatch raised an eyebrow.

"Well, sorta. I guess you could call it sleep. We do have to power down, laying on a bed just feels, nice." She looked at the stack of half-opened manuals on Hatch's bed. "Or maybe you haven't gotten to that part yet."

Hatch stood there silently before dragging a hand across his face. "Okay, cut the shit. How much did you hear?"

Calico folded her arms. "Enough to know that maybe I've been wrong about you."

"That so?"

"Don't jump the gun cowboy. That wasn't a compliment."

"Felt like one."

Calico rolled her eyes. "Look, maybe we hit it off on the wrong foot. I was kind of a-"

"Bitch?" Hatch finished her sentence. "Yeah you were, then again I was kind of an-"

"Asshole?" Calico finished his sentence.

"Yeah."

The pair stood silent for a few moments.

"I think maybe you and I aren't so different." Calico twiddled her fingers. "You're not the only one with problems commander."

Hatch walked over to the couch and sat on the far end. "Call me a skeptic."

"It's true. There's a good reason why I almost had my core taken out." Calico sighed. "I have a bit of a mouth and a problem with authority."

"Yeah? And do you talk to your dead friends and an inanimate object while you drown yourself in liquor every night?"

"No, I don't, but having your core taken out can be pretty crappy stuff. I really pissed off the wrong people."

"I'm guessing Commander shit for brains was one of them?"

Calico chuckled. "Yeah, yeah he was one of them."

"I can tell." Hatch let his guitar rest in his lap as he reached over the side of the couch and poured himself another shot downing it instantly and setting the bottle back down. "He kinda struck me as a doofus after he just up and left."

"You don't know the half of it."

The pair went silent again before Calico turned to face Hatch. "Look, whether we like this or not we're a team now. If we want to survive this we need to learn how to work together. If you're anything like what you said in your speech you can agree on this."

"No, you're right." Hatch nodded. "We're misfits on the same team. The loudmouthed rebel doll and her PTSD inflicted alcoholic of a commander."

Calico clapped her hands. "I like it, now if we can just fix your choice in music-" Suddenly she stopped as her eyes went wide at the song that was playing. "Wait, is this Depeche Mode!? 'It's No Good?!'"

Hatch brought his guitar up and started to play along with the song. "Yeah, my dad used to love them. Everything I play was given to me by my dad or my mom. So don't talk shit on the tunes."

The doll eyed Hatch's guitar in curiosity. "Including the guitar?"

"Same one my dad used to serenade to my mom." Hatch ran a calloused hand across the chords in admiration. "Same exact one."

"You gonna try to use it on me?"

"Is it working?"

Calico began to move her head to the music as she closed her eyes. "Nope, but I know what makes you tick."

"Do you?" Hatch raised an eyebrow. "Show me."

Calico got up and started dancing to the song as the lyrics left her lips, her hips slowly swaying back and forth like a pendulum. Occasionally she'd run her hands down the sides of her body and look back over her shoulder. Hatch could only stare in awe as she perfectly hit every note to the tune of the song and his guitar. She had the technique of an expert and Hatch knew exactly what she was trying to do.

Toy with him.

The doll looked back over her shoulder and rolled her eyes with a coy smile. "I saw the way you looked at some of the dolls today you lecherous old man. You're in for a rough assignment."

Hatch took another shot. "Guilty as charged. So maybe I'm a grown ass man who's attracted to women, wasn't aware that was wrong."

"Even dolls?"

Hatch went back to playing, not taking his eyes off the chords as he responded. "Dolls? Could've fooled me with the mannerisms and outfits."

Calico spun on her heel and bent over to bring her face down to Hatch's level. The fabric of her blouse dropped ever so slightly and Hatch had to do his best to use his peripheral vision to see anything. He wouldn't let her win so easy.

"Do I fool you?"

"Oh, we're playing this game?" Hatch looked back at her and maintained his focus on the chords with a smile. "Yeah, yeah I wouldn't mind playing a special tune with you."

"And now he thinks I'm easy." Calico smirked and stood up straight with her hands on her hips. "I'm sure you've used that line a hundred times."

"Hasn't failed me before."

"It will now." The doll took a seat right next to him. "Besides, even if I did agree. One, you couldn't hope to match my rhythm and two? It's physically impossible."

"Really?" Hatch stopped playing and raised an eyebrow. In truth, he had been thinking about that for quite some time.

"Really." Calico smirked as she traced a finger down the front of her body and to the hem of her shorts. "Don't believe me? You wanna see?"

Hatch let the guitar rest on his lap and put a finger under his chin. "Yeah, yeah I wanna see."

"Oh not like that. You gotta earn your prize old man. Come over here and see for yourself." Calico beckoned to Hatch with her finger. "You have hands don't you?"

"You keep calling me old man. I think maybe you got some sort've old man fetish."

"And I think you have some sort've thing for dolls. You'll have to learn, you have the manuals why don't you read them?" Calico cocked her head to the side. "Sorry, I know that's difficult for a Marine, now are you going to take this prac app or are you gonna keep blabbering?"

"Fine." Hatch put the guitar aside and shifted in such a way so that he had room to maneuver. He was no stranger to a woman's body, but everything up to this point had been a game. There was no way the night could've progressed to this so quickly. Slowly but surely he brought his hands over and inched them closer and closer to Calico's hips.

"That's it, you're doing good. Careful old man."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Not wanting to be fooled with any longer Hatch brought his hands to the belligerent doll's exposed hips and gently grabbed them. He sat there dumbfounded for a moment. They felt just like a normal girl's and as he rubbed them he did his best to try and feel for something, anything that felt remotely synthetic.

Nothing. Tempted to go further Hatch was just about to slip his fings below her belt when suddenly she grabbed his arms. "Times up. Too slow."

Hatch sat there dumbfounded as the now snickering doll returned his arms to his lap. He had been played once again.

"Did you really think I was that easy?" The doll pointed to the stack of manuals on his bed and rolled her eyes. "I told you, you have manuals. Go study up and when you're ready to pass the quiz we'll talk about it again."

Hatch frowned and brought his guitar up. "Fine then, I don't fail twice though."

Calico promptly put her boots on and made her way to the center of the room. "We'll see about that." She smiled and looked at the guitar. "Thanks for the music though, we're not too bad."

"Yeah, yeah we're not." Hatch took another shot and went back to playing. "Well then, challenge accepted."

Calico took an exaggerated bow and left the room ensuring to smile at him as she closed the door. "Good night my lecherous old man commander."

Hatch brought up a middle finger as the door clicked shut leaving him alone with his alcohol and Dozer.

" _ **PUSSY. YOUR GAME SUCKS."**_

Hatch picked a crushed beer can up from off the ground and tossed it at Dozer's head with a clank. "What did I tell you about talking? Shut the hell up and go back to being a statue!"

Satisfied his alcohol-induced hallucinations had settled Hatch went back to playing guitar as he stared at the ceiling.

"The things I put up with."

* * *

 **Terms Used**

 **FOB-Forward Operating Base**

 **NCO-Non Commissioned Officer**


	3. Rations Don't Come Easy

**Don't try to write when new games come out. It just doesn't work lol.**

* * *

Rations Don't Come Easy

" _Durable, maneuverable and quick to process orders. The Cyclops series tactical dolls are a must for the commander looking to minimize human casualties. I.O.P., we shoulder the burden on the frontlines."_

-IOP advertisement for first Gen Cyclops tactical dolls

 _Months Later…_

 **FORESTS OF S09**

Calico paused from stalking through the dense brush to adjust the bill for her ballcap, her boots making slight crunches in the dead leaves below.

Well, Hatch's ballcap. She had decided to "borrow" it out of his room while he was in the shower earlier.

"Tovarisch echelon leader it looks like everyone is in position."

Calico checked her weapon's helical magazine as her subordinate Nagant Revolver knelt beside her. Like her echelon leader Nagant was similarly garbed in woodland pattern combat gear with her hair tied up. She had chosen to retain her white ushanka however, she felt practically naked without that.

"Yeah I can see that." Calico's sensors kicked on allowing her to pick out the coordinates of both the rest of her team and the hostiles ahead. Unlike other dolls handgun models weren't as heavily armed or armored. However, they made up for this lack of bite with extra sensors which allowed them to rapidly acquire and designate targets for other units. These attributes coupled with their lighter frames made them excellent scouts and skirmishers in a pinch.

The echelon's current posturing was that of a standard ambush formation. A friendly on either side would pick at the flanks and two would be at the end to thrust forward. The last would be on overwatch from an elevated position.

According to Hatch he had used this tactic to great effect during his days with the Raiders and believed it to be their best chance for success during this mission.

In this situation he had ordered Calico to move MP40 and Spectre onto the enemy's flanks where their speed would cut off any potential escape routes. Meanwhile, Calico and Nagant would bring up the center and use their scouting ability to relay any targets to the others. Finally, FN49 and Hatch would provide covering fire from Doogan's helicopter circling above.

Calico gave her surroundings one more scan before giving a thumbs up to Nagant. "Alright, we're all set." She then took a knee and radioed up to Hatch. "Commander we're ready for your go ahead. I'm sending all the information to you now."

Thankfully the silent nature of the Zener communication system allowed the dolls to speak over radio without opening their mouths should they so choose. A plus considering they didn't want to give away their position to the enemy.

 **XXXXXX**

"Roger receiving now."

Thanks to his self-sealing helmet Hatch had little trouble hearing Calico's voice even over the turbulent wind and rotor downwash.

The equipment also kept him protected from the bitter cold.

He kept his carbine slung and let his feet dangle out the side of the open troop bay as tactical information filled his visor. Even from hundreds of feet up he could see the dolls and the enemy all clear as day.

The marvels of modern infantry technology. Most if not all of Hatch's gear was taken out of the raiders with him.

He checked his gear before looking over at FN49. Like her teammates below she too had ditched her usual civilian garb for gear that was fit for the mission. She still retained her timid attitude though, even with all the proficiency she had gained over the last few months. Hatch brought a gloved hand up and tapped his helmet's comm receiver. "How we doin' super shot? You ready for this?"

49's mouth shifted into a nervous smile as her voice emanated from behind closed lips and into Hatch's ears. "Y-yes commander, y-you can count on me!"

"Hey, no sweat right? You just line em up and knock em down same as usual."

"But, do we really have to? This seems..mean." 49 frowned. "It's not like the other jobs we do."

Hatch let his visor and face mask slide away as he gave his doll a pat on the shoulder. "Hey remember what I told you? We take care of this and the locals will be beyond happy. The pay's gonna be pretty good too."

The rifle model doll seemed unphased by this statement prompting Hatch to roll his eyes with a half smile. "Look, you do good and I'll get you ice cream. How's that sound?"

As if a switch had been thrown 49's demeanor changed as she flashed a bright smile. "R-really!?"

"Really."

49 quickly flicked off her rifle's safety and scoped in on the distant targets. "T-then I definitely won't fail!"

Hatch was about to give her more words of encouragement when suddenly his ear was filled with laughter from the other dolls and Doogan. Evidently he had been transmitting over the echelon net.

"Yeah har har real fucking funny? We still trying to get paid or are we gonna sit here and fuck off some more?"

The long silence over the net followed by confirmation pings answered Hatch's question. He shouldered his M4 and took aim as his face mask slid back into place.

"Right then, let's hit em."

 **XXXXXX**

No sooner had Hatch given the command the dolls began engaging the enemy. Targets were designated and subsequently dispatched with deadly efficiency. Anything that tried to run found themselves getting gunned down by 40 and Spectre as the pair cut off their escape routes.

Faced with only one option the terrified masses sought an escape route out of the forest and into the open fields where they would have more room to maneuver. No matter how fast the enemy ran the dolls wouldn't give up the chase, however. Their artificial limbs granted them speed and endurance greater than humans.

Throughout the hunt the dolls said little outside of relaying tactical information to one another. If they wanted to keep up the momentum they had to focus on chasing their agile quarry through the dense brush.

Eventually both the hunters and their prey emerged from the forest and into the flat fields of the eastern european countryside. The prey had finally believed themselves safe and in the clear

Only to be confronted by a new hunter as Doogan's helicopter banked around in front of them.

It was a lost cause now, none of them would make it out of there alive. Which was the point considering this whole ordeal was nothing more than a pest cleanup and the prey were wild boars.

 **XXXXXXX**

"Sorry mister oinky! But you gotta go!" 49 kept up with the firing solutions the handgun dolls were feeding her as she quickly dispatched the porcine menace.

Thus far she had had little difficulty staying on target even as the helicopter bobbed and weaved through the air. Unlike a human she was more than capable of retaining consistent accuracy in any clime or place. This was practically a glorified shooting contest to her the prize being ice cream and her commander's praise.

Hatch, on the other hand, wasn't as fortunate. Thus far he wasn't doing too bad as his helmet's interface augmented his already impressive marksmanship. There was no way he could make the same shots as 49 though.

"Doogan spin her around I got some stragglers!"

"You got it boss!" The Australian pilot gave a thumbs up from the cockpit as he began to maneuver the aircraft.

Hatch held on and waited for the chopper to level out before sighting in on a particularly large boar. He led the creature for a few moments before letting off a few shots behind its neck. Two of the rounds kicked up dust as they impacted the ground, but the last found its mark and sent the creature tumbling end over end.

"Ah ha! Now that's how you get your dinner! See that shit 49?!"

"Oh, we're going to eat them too?" 49's concentration on her targets was unwavering as she continued to talk to Hatch. She dropped a few more boars with a frown. "They don't look all that tasty with all that fur.."

Hatch would've facepalmed had it not been for the gear. "49, you like bacon right?"

"Y-yes?"

"How do you think the bacon comes to us the way it does?"

The doll lowered her rifle and put a finger under her chin in contemplation. "The supply drops?"

Doogan keyed out over the net as he maintained control of the aircraft. "Oi. You gotta catch the fuckers and kill em. Then you skin em, cut em up and put em on the goddamn barbie."

49 covered her mouth in shock. "That's terrible!"

"But, that's how we get most of our food. 49, humans have been hunting game since ancient times." Hatch thumbed the safety on his carbine and shook his head. "It's not like _**you**_ gotta worry about doing it."

By now Calico and the other dolls had finished mopping up the last of the boars and were listening in on the conversation over the radio.

"Our marksman is too innocent _ja_? Pork is a staple in our diets in the fatherland."

" _Da_ , in glorious motherland the people know all too well about how to live off the land. Tovarisch 49 you shoot well, but you must learn to put some grit behind your shots."

"I dunno. It does seem like pretty brutish work I'm just glad I didn't get any on me."

Hatch ignored the banter from the dolls as he reached around to ruffle 49's hair.

"Don't worry about it you did great."

"I-I did?" 49 smiled. "Thank you, commander."

Hatch returned his attention to the dolls below and the neat collections of bodies they were starting to make. "Doogs, find a soft spot to land her. Time to go admire our handy work."

"You got it boss man."

"Oh, and let me bum a cigarette off you. I think my fucking pack fell out of my vest while you were playing airwolf."

"Fuck you too boss."

 **XXXXXXX**

"Kommandant!" MP40 stood at attention as the Helicopter crew made their way over to the group. "It is good to see you and congratulations on another job well done!" She smiled. "Can we pick which pigs to bring back? There are some choice ones here that I think will make an excellent schnitzel."

"Hey, if you can make it and convince Springfield to help I'm down. We've got room for maybe four in the helicopter. Gotta save the rest for the locals though."

"Danke Kommandant!" The SMG model doll quickly ran off and began examining all of her kills.

"Oi so long as I get a look too." Doogan unsheathed a large bowie knife from off his flight suit and gave it a spin."There's some big buggers I know that much."

"Yeah do what you gotta do crocodile Dundee."

Hatch disengaged his helmet and clipped it to his vest before whistling at the boar corpses. "God damn ladies. We got ourselves some stone cold marksmen here."

He lit a cigarette and took a long satisfying drag. "I like it! That's the kinda shit I'm talking about!"

Calico rolled her eyes. "This job was totally beneath us, really wasn't that awesome."

Hatch scoffed as he moved a boar's head to the side with his boot. "You say that for every job we take. Next time I'll go throw you at the Sangvis Ferri main hub, I'm sure you'll find a challenge there."

"Maybe I will so long as my marksman doesn't freeze up."

49 had been frowning at the piglets when she heard the jab. "I won't freeze up!"

Nagant shook her head with a sigh. " _Nash rukovoditel' eshelona mozhet byt' takaya bol' v zadnitse_ ( _Our echelon leader can be a real pain in the ass_ )."

" _Da, no ona nasha bol' v zadnitse (Yes, but she's our pain in the ass)_." Hatch chuckled. "She'll learn Babushka."

"There you go speakin' that gobble dee gook again." Doogan paused from examining the kills. "English damnit. I know you picked it up from your pops and the Raiders, but fuck me man."

"No, he only does it to talk shit behind my back." Calico grimaced. "Too chicken to say it to my face."

"I said you were the most capable and proficient echelon leader ever. I couldn't articulate it properly in English so I had to slip into the ole' family tongue." Hatch let out a cloud of smoke with a wink. " _Moya muza_."

Calico stuck out her tongue as she pulled her lower eyelid down with her middle finger. "Whatever jarhead. Let's just hurry this up so we can head back to base. I'm sure Thunder is spazzing out."

Spectre looked over her shoulder as she helped MP40 load up one of the carcasses. "Thunder? Yeesh, I'm just glad PPK didn't come along. Can you imagine how she would have handled all of this?"

Everyone present shuddered at the thought. PPK had long developed a sadistic reputation.

"Yeah and that's why she's with Zas training." Hatch put the cigarette out with his boot as he tapped his wrist-mounted comm device.

"CP, this is Hatch. Kalina you got me?"

It didn't take long for the cheerful adjutant's voice to accompany a small blue hologram of her face emanating off the top of the rectangular device. She maintained her concentration on the myriad of administrative duties off-screen as she spoke. "Yep! Loud and clear? I take it the job was a success?"

Hatch shifted the hologram to face the dead boars and smiling dolls. "Yeah I'd say so. Got enough for dinner, we're gonna eat good tonight."

Kalina's mouth went agape. "Wow I'll be sure to let our employers know."

"Yeah, I'm gonna upload the coordinates to you here soon just be sure to forward them. We got all the corpses piled here and took four per the deal."

"Alright sounds good. Oh, you got messages while you were gone."

Hatch watched as the echelon began loading up the helicopter. "Yeah? Who from?"

Kalina pressed a few buttons off screen. "Well ones from mainside, Helian wanted to speak to you."

"Great. I'm sure it's to yell at me again." Hatch rubbed the bags under his eyes. "Anything else?"

"Hmm, one's from IOP. Looks like your orders came through for those machinegun dolls. It'll be a while, but you're approved."

Hatch fist-pumped. "Right on. Anything else?"

"Yep. Your mom called."

Hatch gasped and snapped his fingers. "Fuck, it was her birthday today. Shiiiiiit. Did she seem-"

"Like she was about to go off? Oh yes."

"Oooo." Calico leaned on the distraught commander and stuck her face into the call. "Maw's gon' be right pissed off!"

"Yeah? Okay smartass, maybe you'd like to deal with her then?" Hatch pulled the bill of Calico's hat down over her eyes. "You want to see her bad side again?"

The doll rapidly shook her head before fixing her hat. "No thanks I'll pass."

"That's what I thought."

Hatch returned his attention to Kalina. "Thanks, I'll have the dolls upload the recent combat data to the mainframe when we get back. Nothing too crazy, but it demonstrates good use of the ambush tactic I've been teaching."

"Do you need me to make any copies to distribute to the other dolls?"

"Nah, we can handle that later."

Doogan cupped his hands over his mouth as he yelled out from inside the cockpit. "Oi boss! We're getting ready to dust off!"

Hatch gave thumbs up in response. "Hey we're gonna take off here, we'll talk more when I get back."

"Very well commander have a safe trip."

"Oh and Kalina?"

The adjutant paused to look back at the screen. "Yes commander?"

"Thanks for holding down the fort lately. I know you've been working your ass off. Just wanted to say you're one of a kind."

Kalina laughed. "You and the dolls make all the hard work pay off commander Hatch. It's been my pleasure."

"Same here Kalina, same here."

"I know, have a safe trip." Kalina paused before she went to cut the transmission. "Oh, and Zas's team beat the combat sim high score. Looks like you lost the bet."

"Crap." Hatch sighed.

"Yep looking forward to seeing what color she paints your nails!"

Kalina cut the transmission leaving Hatch to make his way back to the chopper. He took up position in his usual spot next to the door and belted himself in before smacking the side of the chopper.

"C'mon Doogs let's go."

"Oi you let me do my pre-flight shit aight?"

"Whatever do your thing."

All of the dolls belted in and secured the hogs as Doogan his infamous pre-flight checks.

"G'day ladies and gents. I'm your pilot Doogan and this beautiful bird is Mozzie. Today's forecast is slightly chilly with a beaaauuutiful sunset over clear skies."

Doogan flipped switches as he began to bring the aircraft to life. Rotors started to spin up and electrical systems whined as they pulsed with power.

"As usual this is a nonsmoking flight and if I catch any of ya smoking I'll fuckin toss your robotic asses out." The pilot turned around and blew a kiss. "I love my bird more than ya'll. You want affection go to your commander for that."

Calico stuck out a middle finger. "Probably because it's the only thing that won't turn you down."

"Aye that she is sad to say." Doogan turned back and continued starting the aircraft. "Today's in-flight entertainment is brought to you by a taste of the ole commonwealth. Don't like it? Piss off!"

By now the rotors had turned into a blur casting a fierce downwash onto the tall grass. The engines roared as they kicked out exhaust and in moments the grassy fields were replaced by treetops as the helicopter took off and sped towards the base.

"First track is 'Overkill' by Men at Work. A favorite of me old man's! Enjoy."

Hatch unclipped his helmet and re-donned it as the ancient track began to blare over the channel. He pulled his shemagh up to cover the lower half of his respirator as he got as comfortable as he could.

A nap sounded great,

"Aw, shame. I was gonna poke fun at your goofy face."

Or not.

Calico got closer to Hatch as she looked out the open door and at the scenery beyond.

"And you gotta be close to do this?"

"Nah I just like the scenery." The doll flashed a mischievous smile. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Uh huh."

The commander pressed a series of buttons on the side of his helmet and flipped through some channels on the net before finding the one he was looking for.

"Hey, chop shop? It's Hatch."

Michael didn't waste any time as his usual agitated voice replied back. "Send it for the chop shop."

"How's the big olive drab bastard?"

"Good." There was a brief pause as various welding sounds echoed in the back. "Got his targeting back up to spec and uploaded some of those military grade sims I had floating around. Found a few aftermarket ones you might like too."

"And his armament?"

"All good to go. Shooty or smashy."

"Awesome. Hey we got a big haul today, lotsa meat."

Michael sighed. "I'll get the tools and the grill ready, but you and your dumbass pilot better be helping."

"Of course pops." Hatch chuckled. "Could be a good chance to give ole _preryvatel'_ a go. She all sharpened?"

"Yeeep. Worked my magic on her, dunno why you insist on using the stupid thing-

"It's a matter of sentimentality."

"Whatever. Well, she's ready."

"Thanks pops."

"And don't call me pops." Michael keyed out.

Hatch chuckled as he watched the forest pass. Another wild day, another wild paycheck.

 **XXXXXX**

"No, no wait!" The doll took off into a sprint as the helicopter flew off and over the distant trees. Panic filled her voice as she tried to radio out.

"Any friendly GnK forces in the area this is team AR. In need of immediate evac, over!" The doll stood there for a few moments before hanging her head in defeat. She had forgotten about the encrypted signal she was keying out over.

Her chance at a quick escape was gone and she was once again at the mercy of the pursuing forces. She would have to continue on foot until she could find some way to contact GnK mainside.

If only her long-range comms hadn't been damaged in the earlier fight.

The doll checked her mags and reloaded her M4 before glancing back into the forests. So far so good, but it wouldn't be long until the enemy picked up her scent again. She pulled her skull face bandanna halfway up her face before taking off across the field. "Hang on sisters. I'll get help, I promise."


	4. Home Is Where the Cores Are

**Like I've said before. I've tried to make the chapters shorter so as to avoid excessively long chapters and burning myself out. It also helps me update more frequently.**

 **So, without further ado. Here we go**.

* * *

 **Home is Where the Cores Are**

" _Meet Tabatha. Smart, loyal, faithful and much much more. Tabatha will never leave your side and she comes in a wide variety of appearances too! Order your new companion today and rediscover what it truly means to be happy. IOP, shouldering the burden in your love life."_

IOP Advertising its latest line of "Companion Dolls"

 **Airspace over S09**

"Hatch, wake up!"

Hatch rocketed upwards in panic as he began to scratch at his helmet, his eyes darting every which way as he tried to figure out where he was.

"I! I-didn't!"

"Ben, it's okay! Look at me, look at me."

It didn't take long for Hatch to figure out what was going on between Calico's worried voice and the firm grip on his shoulders.

Another nightmare.

The commander's breathing slowed down as he began to recognize his surroundings and the concerned dolls that were all leaning out of their chairs.

"Thanks. I'm good." Hatch disengaged his helmet and gave a weak smile to his dolls. "Sorry."

Calico let go and leaned in."Good my ass. You were shaking in your sleep like something was trying to possess you again. We'll talk about this later tonight okay? I don't need you breaking on me."

Her expression shifted into her trademark smirk once more. "Who else am I gonna annoy?"

Hatch wanted to reach for the whiskey-filled flask in his dump pouch, but he stayed his slightly shaking hand. He needed to keep up with appearances, especially in front of his girls. He didn't need them looking at him as if he was an alcoholic nutjob.

Not that they'd be too far from the truth.

"Alright, fair enough." Hatch looked back over at the other dolls once more. "Girls, I'm fine, alright? Just had a bad dream! Was up late last night."

Whether or not the other dolls actually believed their commander's words remained to be seen, but all of them seemed to start calming down all the same.

If Doogan had heard anything, he wasn't showing it as he continued his usual in-flight antics.

"Ladies and gents, we are beginning our descent. Please keep all hands and feet inside the helicopter until the ride has come to a full and complete stop!"

Hatch shook himself awake and tried to get things back to normal.

"Anyways girls, good work today. I don't think there's any need for a debrief. Same as usual, go offload your combat data and tend to your gear. You're free after that. Calico, you got em."

The echelon leader gave a thumbs up in response."Of course I do."

"Uh huh." Hatch yawned. "Alright, anything for me?"

49 sheepishly raised her hand prompting a smile from Hatch. "No, I didn't forget 49. Come see me later-"

Bad idea.

"Gee, I sure wish I got special treatment."

" _Ja,_ we did good work on the ground. I feel as though the commandant is being most unfair."

"Indeed. Most unfair, _tovarisch_."

Hatch facepalmed. "Fine, I'll personally see that all of you get all rewarded for a good job. Satisfied?"

All the dolls nodded with wide, victorious grins. It didn't take much to get them back into high spirits.

Hatch rubbed his exhausted eyes. "The things I put up with."

It wasn't long before the sea of pine trees was replaced by open fields, and with them, the familiar sight of the FOB perched atop its hill.

Home sweet home. A little piece of heaven in the vast and uncaring eastern European wilderness.

Doogan brought the helicopter's nose up and over the top of the FOB's concrete walls as he brought the aircraft down to land… And in plain view of a welcoming party near the helipad.

Hatch groaned. It was the same silly event every time he left the base. Always someone waiting for either him or one of the many dolls in the echelon he deployed with. In this situation, it was the usual motley crew: Kalina in her official uniform, the handgun doll Thunder and, of course, Dozer.

As the helicopter's landing wheels crunched the earth, Hatch looked over at Calico with a shit-eating grin. "Hey, Thunder's here waiting for you."

The doll peered over her commander's shoulder to confirm. The irritation on her face was painfully obvious. "Shut up. You're the one she's waiting for."

"Am I? I recall her being a team effort. She's probably excited to break the news, so try to be excited for her, would ya?" Hatch waited for the chopper blades to die down before hopping off and unfastening his helmet. In that instant, the meek Thunder crossed the space between them and wrapped him in a tight embrace, nearly knocking his helmet loose.

"Benjy, you're home." In spite of her monotone greeting, her tightening grip alluded to her happiness.

Hatch ran a hand through her long gray hair and closed his eyes. Her black and gray feathered coat and accompanying dress felt nice in the cold air.

She was also really good at giving hugs.

Hatch gently pulled away, taking her gloved hands in his. "Hey Thunder, how ya feeling? Congratulations on your first training sim! we'll have to celebrate later tonight!"

The doll nodded. "Thank you, Commander. I feel great now that you're back."

Hatch spotted the jagged scar around Thunder's neck and ran a finger across it. "You sure? I know Mike's been doing his best to try and get some synthskin to cover up the marks."

Thunder gripped Hatch's hands tight, her expression unchanging. "I wear mine just as proudly as you do, Commander."

Hatch smiled and squeezed back."That's my girl."

"But where is…?" Thunder voice trailed off as looked around Hatch. Once she found the visibly embarrassed Calico, she closed her crimson eyes in joy. It took some quiet persuasion to get the stubborn echelon leader to join in the happy reunion.

Not that she was ever going to say no in the first place.

"So I heard your echelon beat out our high score. Trying to outdo me?" Calico ruffled Thunder's hair. "I can't believe you did so well your first combat sim. I'm proud of ya, squirt."

Thunder's smile wouldn't fade as she tried to maintain her humbleness despite the praise. "Me? Never, I just did my job as usual. It was Zas' leadership that got us through. She was adamant about winning the bet and painting Benjy's nails." She put a finger under her chin with a raised eyebrow. "I wonder what color they'll be?"

Calico could only grin devilishly at the thought; she lived to tease and embarrass him. "Ohh, the feeling is mutual."

Hatch groaned and try to ignore the jests as the other two visitors made their way over.

Kalina fixed her uniform sleeves and gave her usual smile. "Commander? I trust your flight back was a pleasant one."

"Yeah, it was. I take it Helian wants the daily report?"

"Yes, and there's been a new development we need to pass to her."

Hatch groaned again. Never a dull day.

"Alright." He returned his attention to Thunder and Calico. "Hey, you two go help the others get the stuff offloaded, alright? I got a million and one things I gotta do."

Both of the dolls nodded and went to get to work, only to stop as a new scene began to develop.

"Doogie, you ass!"

The circus never stopped.

Hatch sighed as he heard a familiar voice near the helicopter followed by a loud thud. Just in case, he went to check. Doogan lay flat on his back with his hands up in shock as a girl in dark glasses stood over him, pressing a boot into his plate carrier. Grizzly, Doogan's own doll he had drunkenly spent an entire paycheck on over a dare, was absolutely livid. She was known to be as quick to anger as she was beautiful. Meanwhile, Khadrov and Dimitri stood off to the side with the rest of Echelon 1, wishing for popcorn.

Doogan ran a hand up and down Grizzly's single thigh high sock as he kept his eyes on the large pistol holstered under her open blue bomber jacket.

"Grizzly, c'mon now! You know I'm good for it! Did I mention you look great today? Lookin' right fine you are in those shorts of yours."

"Don't you try to butter me up!" Grizzly swatted the hand away and folded her arms causing her well-endowed bosom to puff up from under her white button-up blouse. "I told you to wake me up when you were getting ready to head out!" She pointed a thumb back at the Russians with a scowl. "I understand you leaving those two dumbasses behind, but me? That ain't it, Doogie. Oh, that definitely ain't it."

The doll raised her sunglasses up and over her short brown hair before yanking Doogan into the air. "So what's your excuse? C'mon, I'm listening."

Doogan hung there in her grip for a moment before looking over at Hatch with a pitiful look. "Oi, boss, please. If you would?"

Hatch raised his hands and began to back off with Kalina. "Nope, that's your doll your problem boyo. See you later, I got shit to do. You let Michael know I'll be down soon!"

He went to turn around before pausing and waving at Grizzly. "Good to see ya Grizz! He's all yours!"

The doll grinned as she maintained a tight grip on her handler."Thank ya, boss!"

Hatch gestured for the silent military doll and adjutant to follow him back to the main building ignoring Doogan's pleas as he did so.

"Boss! Oi Boss! C-c'mon now!"

"Shutup and take what's comin' to ya. After that, you can help me fix OUR goddamn bird!"

"I never should have ordered you drunk! Swear on me mum and pop!"

"The hell'd you just say?! I'm the best goddamn thing you ever got, you slouch hat wearing dick!"

Hatch rubbed the back of his head as he got out of earshot. "The god damn shit I put up with."

 **XXXXXX**

 **HATCH'S OFFICE**

Hatch eased his tired shoulders as he got comfortable in his leather office chair. Lightweight as his gear was it still felt nice to be down to FROGs. The endless stream of administrative babble Kalina was starting to hit him with was not. Nor was the mountain of information cluttering his PC monitor and various hologram displays.

The life of a base commander. Certainly not the most comfortable of roles for a former NCO, but Hatch had been getting into the groove of things since day one. He ran a hand over his regulation haircut as Kalina droned on.

"Today's profits were… not bad to say the least. Morale is still holding despite the odd jobs we've been getting. Of course, the dolls are as happy as ever."

"Good. You know I make sure my girls and my people are taken care of." Hatch suppressed a gag as he leaned over his desk to flip through some spreadsheet pages. He couldn't make heads or tails of anything. "Aaaand how are we looking on supplies?"

Kalina looked at her tablet. "Good, so far. We hardly ever go through ammunition and nobody is eating a lion's share so all's green there." She raised an eyebrow. "It's all on the spreadsheets you know."

"I know, but…"

"You hate math. I know, Commander." Kalina finished her commander's sentence with a snicker. "I tried to dumb it down for you. I'm sorry if it's still not easy to read."

"Nah, it's fine. You do good work Kalina." Hatch clicked out of the spreadsheets and leaned back in his chair with folded arms. "So you mentioned a development?"

"Yes. Another Sangvis probe."

Hatch put a finger under his chin. "That makes the third this week, what the hell."

Kalina brought up a hologram of their current territory in front of Hatch's desk and pointed to a series of red sectors. "Beska's men engaged and neutralized it just this morning."

Hatch whistled. "Well, at least the goddamn settlement militia can still do their jobs."

"That's not the point. Notice how close it is to the other ones?" Kalina waved a hand at all the red sectors causing Hatch to twiddle his thumbs.

"They gotta be looking for something, then. Sangvis has never shown interest in this area."

"But why?" Kalina tapped her pad quizzically. "There's nothing of value here."

"Probably me, to be honest." Hatch shrugged. "I mean, I am a pretty important guy."

Kalina rolled her eyes eliciting a chuckle from Hatch. "I kid. Either way, I'll let HQ know when I call them. Keep the dolls abreast of the situation and we'll action accordingly. Beska still onboard to throw hands if we need him?"

Kalina nodded. "Yes, he's promised full support of his men should we need it."

"And that's why we do the odd jobs." Hatch gave a thumbs up. "You do the menial shit for the right people and you build a reputation. That's why the local settlements are as warm to us as they are."

"This is why you have your position." Kalina smiled. "A friend of the people and a good leader."

Hatch put up a hand in disagreement. "Anyone with half a brain knows the basics of this shit, but thanks for the praise all the same."

"You should accept it more."

"I get it plenty from my girls, Kalina." Hatch smiled as he looked at his PC's wallpaper. It was a grainy image of him flanked on either side by his dolls and personnel in front of the Blackhawk. It was a reminder of the tight-knit family the base had become over the past few months a task that didn't come without hard work and harsh lessons.

Kalina smiled. "Of course, they love you, Commander Hatch. It's a rarity to see dolls get treated so well, you know."

Hatch shrugged in response. "I don't know about love. That's an awfully strong word. Deeply respect, maybe, but not love."

He reached for an open thermos on his desk and took a swig of its warm contents; Coffee brewed for him by the master rifle doll of the kitchen, Springfield. He set the thermos back down and got comfortable in his chair once more. "How long till Echelon 3 is back from their job?"

"About two hours, just in time for dinner." Kalina paused as she flipped through her tablet. "Combat data is being uploaded to the mainframe and there aren't any job requests right now. Looks like we get a quiet evening."

Hatch sighed in relief. "Good. Well if that's it, I gotta go call Helian and then go help Mike with getting dinner prepped."

"Of course. I can't wait to eat! I know it's gonna be good!" Kalina fist pumped before an idea hit her. "Oh! You, Thunder and Calico should play for the base after! I think we should celebrate today's good mission!"

"Don't see why not. Alright, lemme go call the devil boss. Wish me luck, huh?" Hatch rolled his eyes and got up from his desk to get into position as Kalina hurried out of the room. Once the adjutant was gone, he took a deep breath and sighed, pressing a few buttons on his desk to start the video call.

In moments, a dark blue hologram of Helian in her office came into view, prompting Hatch to go into the position of attention.

"Vice Commander Helian! Commander Benjamin Hatch reporting as ordered!"

The GnK official returned the gesture and put her hands behind her back as she started to pace back and forth.

"At ease! You're late, Hatch, and today is not the day for that. Report."

Hatch kept his composure as he leaned back against the front of his desk with folded arms. It was bad enough he still had admin stuff to do and meat to carve with Michael, now he had to deal with Helian's usual discontent.

"All supplies and personnel are accounted for. Echelon one is back from mission and Echelon three is two hours from completing theirs. Funds have been wired and our employers are pleased with our performance."

Helian glanced at some display panels off screen. "I would hope so. Pest control operations are far from the high caliber jobs we take, but given your location, they'll have to suffice." She narrowed her eyes. "Cowboy antics aside…"

Hatch knew she was referring to his habit of leaving the wire with his echelons. By now, Helian had more or less put up with it, but she always made it a habit to let him know what he was doing was wrong.

Even though Krueger preferred to retain commanders like Hatch.

Hatch brought up the territory holograms from earlier and pointed to the problem areas. "Vice Commander Helian, we've experienced another situation, same one as the others."

"I'm aware, we've been keeping track all this week." Helian sat down behind her table and looked at hologram maps of her own. "Which is predominantly why I wanted to call you earlier. Had you not been galavanting off playing big game hunter we might've addressed this sooner."

Hatch ignored the jab at his conscience and let his superior continue.

"It would appear that one of our highly valuable doll teams has gone missing. These scout probings seem to coincide at around the same time of their disappearance."

"So they disappeared about a week ago?" Hatch folded his arms. "Where at?"

"Try two, and deep in an area that's classified." Helian turned her maps off and rested her chin on interlocked fingers. "The fact that these probes are here after months of inactivity means it's highly likely AR team might be in your area. Given that we haven't received any signals, it's also likely their long-range comms are down."

Hatch shrugged. "Well, we haven't received anything either. So their short-range are probably down too then."

"Precisely."

Hatch raised an eyebrow. "And I'm guessing they have valuable intel. Must be some kind of dolls, I'm gonna need a bit more informatio—"

Helian cut Hatch off with a shake of her head. "That's classified. All you need to know is that they are very, _**very**_ important assets. It's a four-doll team and we're unsure whether or not they're still together or separated." Helian looked at some paperwork on her desk and continued to talk without looking at Hatch. "I will have their information forwarded to you, Kalina, and Browning later. You are to let your teams know about the dolls and keep an eye out for them. That simple. understood?"

"Roger that. We'll handle it. Anything you need us to do upon finding them?"

"You are to evac them and drop them by Browning for examination. He has clearance to look over their data. After that is done, standby."

"Understood."

Helian went to terminate the call before pausing and ensuring her gaze bored deep into Hatch's soul. "Commander Hatch, though your leadership methods are unorthodox and a liability, you have thus far performed well enough. I've only this to say. Do not mess this up. Do I make myself clear?"

Hatch went back to the position of attention. "Yes Ma'am, thank you ma—"

"Don't call me ma'am." And with that, Helian ended the call leaving a mentally exhausted Hatch to quickly dig into his cargo pocket. He pulled out his flask and sighed as he unscrewed it with haste.

"Hello, sweet poison of mine."

He looked at it with tired eyes before shrugging and downing it with vigor. Hatch closed his eyes and savored the taste as the firewater slid down his throat and warmed his core. For years, this liquid had been his vice in dealing with stress, and once again, he had heeded its siren call.

A side effect of a painful enlistment.

" _ **AH THAT OL' FIRE WATER"**_

Hatch glared at Dozer's motionless form in the corner at the sound of the nonexistent voice.

"Shut the hell up."

The doll's head slowly tilted to the side as its visors glowed brighter. " _ **THOUGH TO BE HONEST THAT BITCH IS PRETTY ANNOYING ISN'T SHE?"**_

Hatch closed his flask and held his head with one hand as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Why do you insist on doing this to me?"

" _ **ME? I DON'T DO THIS TO YOU. YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE."**_ Dozer's head tilted to the other side. _**"I'M JUST BEING HONEST."**_

"Shut the fuck up!" Hatch threw the flask at the doll causing the hallucination to stop. He slumped against his desk and buried his face in his hands.

The doll wasn't wrong. Ever since he had taken up position as commander, some of the old ways had started coming back to him, and with them, old vices had only gotten worse.

A series of knocks at the door broke the moment, sending Hatch dashing to pick up the fallen flask. He took up position behind his desk and slipped the flask into one of the drawers as he cleared his throat.

"Yeah? Come on in!"

"Commandant, Echelon two leader is here."

Zas M21.

She slung her weapon and brushed her short bright blue hair aside with multi-colored nails. Her voice was almost a whisper and Hatch had to strain himself to hear her. "Commandant, your echelon leader has arrived."

Her blue striped boots made loud thuds on the tiled floor as she made her way over to the desk.

"Ah, Zas, I was just talking about you earlier with Thunder. I heard you beat out Echelon 1's score—"

" _Da,_ we did." The doll fixed her orange goggles atop her head as she took a seat on the corner of Hatch's desk. "Thunder performed excellently."

"Well enough for actual missions?"

Zas nodded. " _Da_. She is ready, she has come long way. You should be proud."

"You've done a good job as echelon leader, Zas." Hatch gave a thumbs up. "Took all of our efforts to get her back on her feet."

"Yes, and as promised, I paint your nails and make you pretty like me tonight." Zas suddenly slid across the desk and into Hatch's lap. "Just like me, yes?"

The commander protested only to feel his arm subconsciously slide around her waist. "C'mon now Zas, don't be playing games like thi—"

"Say it."

"Yes, pretty just like you, Zas." Hatch sighed and wrapped both arms around her. "Don't be playing with my soft side, now."

"Game? What game? Perhaps I like your praise too." The doll brought her multicolored nails and stroked under Hatch's chin. "Besides, the Commandant is cute when he's flustered."

Hatch squeezed the doll's waist. "Hah, yeah, you got me, woo. You done? I got shit to do."

"No." Zas pressed her lips against Hatch's cheek for a few moments before pulling away with a whisper. "Now I am done. That should help with your fluster, yes?"

 _It'll take a lot more than that._

"Yeah, I feel like a million bucks. Thanks, Zas." Hatch patted his lap. "Now up I gotta go file some stuff before I leave."

The doll pouted, but accepted her Commander's order getting up and straightening her dress. "Very well. I will see you tonight. Perhaps I shall paint your nails in your lap. That's sounds good too, yes?"

Hatch chuckled. "Yeah sure, whatever. Better hope Calico doesn't catch you."

Zas rolled her eyes as she made her way to the double doors. "I accept her challenge."

Once the doll was gone Hatch slammed his head on his desk and groaned. All he wanted to do was play his guitar, listen to some music, and sleep. Hatch opened his desk drawer and eyed the flask within it for a few moments, grimacing as he felt the urge to partake in its contents creep on him.

" _ **JUST GO AHEAD AND DO IT. YOU'RE A SLAVE TO YOUR VICES ANYWAYS, MISTER PLAYS-WITH-HIS-DOLLS."**_

"You gonna try and fix me trash can?"

" _ **OF COURSE NOT. YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND BENJY, YOUR HABITS HAVE KINDA GROWN ON ME. I WOULDN'T HAVE YOU ANY OTHER WAY."**_

Hatch almost jumped out his seat as Dozer's head loomed over his. _**"YOU MIGHT AS WELL GET COMFORTABLE WITH THAT STUFF WHILE YOU CAN. YOU HEARD WHAT BOSS LADY SAID, FUN TIMES ARE A COMIN'."**_

Hatch eyed the flask for a few more moments before closing his eyes and downing the rest of what was left.

" _ **ATTA BOY. NOW LET'S GO CARVE SOME PIGS AND GET SOME FUN IN."**_

"Uh huh." Hatch fetched his rifle from next to his desk, putting on his maroon GnK beret. "Whatever, let's go."

" _ **ROGER THIS UNIT COMPLIES."**_

* * *

 **Terms Used**

 **FROG: Flame Retardant Outer Garment.**

 **I know, M4. We haven't gotten to her yet. I'm gonna let you know right now my main focus is establishing my characters so that by the time the shit hits the fan there's actually precedence to give a shit about them. M4 and the downhill spiral of shit are both coming soon don't you worry. Anyways, till next time.**


	5. Work Hard Play Hard

**Long-time since the last update, I know. Midterms and spring break had me all sorts of occupied. Anyways, last chapter of the easy life. We all know where the rabbit hole goes after this. The next update shouldn't take as long.**

* * *

 **Work Hard Play Hard**

" _Make no mistake. You might have changed our name, but we're still goddamn U.S. Marines. No new-fangled coalition will ever take that heritage from us."_

-Rocksert General Bradshaw upon the merging of U.S. and Commonwealth

 **BASE TECHNICAL FACILITY THE "CHOP SHOP"**

After what felt like an eternity of skinning and hacking away at boars, the sweet aroma of grilling meat finally filled the air.

With no T-dolls around to pester the men and dinner still a ways off, now was as good a time as ever to relax in the warm afternoon sun. Cold beers were cracked open and the heady scent of tobacco drifted along to an old, nigh-forgotten song blaring from hidden speakers. A short distance away, Biscuit chased falling leaves.

Hatch angled his chair against Dozer as he took a long swig from his bottle. "Fuck me, I thought that shit was never going to end."

"Yeah? Well if you want to eat good you gotta work good to make it happen. That's the basics of any meal worth a shit." Michael puffed away at his pipe for a few moments before letting out a long cloud of smoke. "And I never slack when it comes to cooking."

Hatch rolled his eyes as he took a drag from his cigarette. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I've heard this one a hundred times man. We know you're a good cook."

"And I'm gonna keep saying it until you stop complaining. I know you were a farm boy, Hatch."

"Blah blah, a farm boy by necessity, not choice." Hatch dismissed the retort with a wave of his hand.

Doogan took a gulp from his bottle and grinned. "Shit, both of ya don't know a damn thing about roughin' it for a good meal. Me and my mates used to have to—"

"Go out into the bush and snag a couple o' dingos in the ol' jalopy!" Hatch put on a mock Australian accent as he finished the pilot's story he had heard so many times before. "Ever seen a right propper pack of 'em nipping at ya arse!?"

"Fuck you too, boss. Yeesh. See I ever tell any stories." Doogan pointed at the hatchet sheathed on his commander's waist. "Least we didn't carry no stupid ass blades." He squinted at the weapon in curiosity. "Speakin o' which, where'd you get that damn thing anyways? Preva, pravada."

" _Preryvatel'?"_ Hatch unhooked the polymer coated weapon from his hip holster and held it up in the air for everyone to see. It was a wicked looking thing, curved with jagged edges. The textured grip was worn with years of use, but the blade was sharp from a recent grinding. Its name was still visible though, etched into the blade itself.

"Yeah, that. What the hell does that even mean?" Doogan eyed the unconventional weapon with less than amused eyes as Hatch gave it a couple of spins.

Hatch ran a finger across the flat portion of the blade as he closed his eyes in though. "Chopper. It's basically Russian for chopper." He opened his eyes. "And no, I didn't name her that."

"Then who did?"

Hatch grinned. "That'd be her former handler. The goofball who came charging at my old squad with it." He paused and finished the last of his beer before snapping his fingers for Doogan to toss him another one.

"Bullshit! You're fuckin' with me!" Doogan reached into a nearby cooler and tossed an icy bottle to Hatch's outstretched hand before pulling another one out for himself. "You expect me to believe that shit?"

Michael looked up from the handheld game system he had started messing with and fixed his glasses with a finger. "And you expect us to believe you self-taught yourself how to fly and drive? That's rich, Doogs."

"It makes perfect sense, mate! When ya need an expedient exit from a job, you gotta improvise!" Doogan sat down and twisted the top off his beverage as he propped his boots up on the table. "Easy peasy. Turnin' the damn thing on and getting out is the hard part."

He put a finger under his chin. "Like a random broad you know? It's all a big mystery when you approach em', but once you got her going, you're home free. Then you rinse and repeat for all the others."

"Oh yeah, so women are like machines? You just gotta turn em all on and presto, same shit different day?" Hatch rolled his eyes as he brought his chair forward and off Dozer. "Woo! That's rich, man. You should write a book."

"Well, clearly you already read it, boss. Mister plays-with-his-dolls."

Michael could only chuckle at the insult as his commander's face went red.

"Just because I treat my dolls well doesn't mean shit. We're a unit, nothing more." The embarrassed commander gulped some beer down before pointing an accusatory finger at his mechanic. "Least I ain't no bitch that gets yoked up by his."

Doogan scoffed. "Right, right. Hah hah." He gulped some more beer down before looking around confused. "Speakin' o' which, where are the little goobers?"

Hatch stretched in his chair."Told em' to stick to gear maintenance and take it easy. Basically to leave us be until dinner. Where's yours?"

"Probably in the shop, working on something or giving the two doofuses a headache."

"Sucks to be them."

"Right?" Doogan looked up at the sky and pondered something. "You know, boss, I been thinking. We got it great here. Good commander, good area, good pay. This is a dream post."

Hatch shrugged. "Well, you know me I aim to please. I enjoy the peace and quiet just as much."

"Don't get too complacent. The moment you do that, you die." Michael paused from playing his game to ensure his Dinergate was still frolicking around before checking on the grill. He popped the top off and shifted some steaks around before closing it and returning to his spot. "We've been lucky so far. War's still out there and sooner or later, it's gonna come this way."

Doogan watched Michael and Hatch exchange concerned glances, like they knew something he didn't. In a world where he cared he might've asked what that something was, but he didn't.

"Yeah, well, when it does, we'll be ready for em'. Fucking tin cans." Doogan flexed his biceps. "Been itching to do some gun runs."

Hatch was about to say something when he looked down at his watch in horror. "Fuck, echelon two's coming back."

No sooner had he said this, an engine being pushed to its limit came roaring through the front gate and past two dumbstruck guards. A tan MRAP sped up the dirt road and towards the chop shop, kicking up dust and debris.

Doogan looked at the truck. "Fuck me running, mate. Here comes goon platoon. Buncha fuckin' psychotics, I swear."

"Doogs, nobody on this base is normal." Hatch got up from his chair and started putting all his sensitive items on the table in preparation for what was coming next.

Michael whistled for Biscuit; he didn't want to take any chances with what was coming. The bot seemed to take the hint as once it saw the truck, it immediately scrambled for the safety of the maintenance bay.

Michael grumbled as he went to tend to the meat. "If she knocks the grill over, I'm making a fur coat out of her."

The truck screeched to a halt in front of the maintenance bay and sat there for a few moments before shutting its engine off. Meanwhile, Hatch planted his feet and bent his knees, a posture not unlike an offensive lineman preparing to take a hit.

No sooner had he done so, the driver's side door in the lead vehicle flew open, and with it, a high pitched voice called out to him.

"Master! G41 and echelon three have returned!"

A blonde girl bounced out of the vehicle and ran on all fours towards Hatch, her young face beaming with excitement. Hatch had just enough time to stretch his arms out when impact came, knocking him completely off his feet. The pair skid along the ground to a halt at Dozer's feet as the doll began squeezing her commander as hard as she could.

"I did a good job today! We got the mission done just as we should! Please praise me!" The doll paused before looking up at Dozer's towering form with a smile. "Hello, big brother!" She then looked at Michael. "Hi papa!"

"Don't call me that." Michael grumbled

Dozer, unsurprisingly, had nothing to say.

Hatch chuckled as he took the boonie cover off G41's head and held her close, using one of his hands to rub her ears. "Yeah, I know you did. I'm sure Kalina will have plenty to say about that. I thought I told you to stop pouncing me, though."

"I know, but I can't help it. I missed you!" G41's tail wagged furiously as she soaked in the praise, oblivious to all the weird looks she was getting.

"I know, I know." Hatch grunted and patted the doll's back. The combined weight of her gear and frame were starting to crush him."Alright, up! How's the rest?"

As the pair got up, the MRAP emptied out, each T-doll more eccentric than the last: A91, WA2K, Springfield, PPK. Doogan's name for the echelon was appropriate.

A91 fell out of the passenger's side of the vehicle and onto her face, crawling her way back up to a sloppy slouch against the MRAP. "Comrades, my beautiful Commander. I-I—" The assault rifle doll paused and fixed a few strands of platinum blonde hair that crept out from under her white leather hat. Satisfied all was in good order, she gave a lazy wave. "Hi, Commander. The ground is very comfortable."

Hatch could have said any number of things in response, but at this point, he didn't care. He had long stopped trying to figure out what sort of jackass thought it'd be funny to program a doll to be constantly drunk.

At least she was good at her job, somehow.

Hatch returned the gesture. "You look fabulous, you can take a nap there if you'd like."

"Thank you~" The doll face-planted back into the ground and lay there motionless.

The Commander could only shake his head before lookin over at the rest of the team. "And how's the rest of my misf—"

"Terrible! I hate this team! My leader is a dog! My cover is a drunkard and my spotter is a psychopath! I want out! I hate this! This is your fault Commander! Stupid butthe—" WA2000's complaints were muffled as Springfield put a gloved hand over her mouth and restrained her with a nervous smile. "So sorry, Commander. WA is just having a bad day. I think she didn't have a proper breakfast or recharged her batteries last night."

"Yeah, as usual? WA, if you spent as much energy focusing on the mission instead of bitching, you'd probably be a better shot than Springfield."

Doogan almost choked on a cigarette as he laughed.

Springfield winced as WA began screaming from under her muzzle. "Oh, I don't think I'm that great, Commander. WA did a good job today all the same. Did you enjoy the coffee I left for you?"

"It was amazing, as usual." Hatch pointed back at the grill Michael was tending to. "You'll be happy to know we got some good chow going on tonight." He chuckled. "Not that I was going to make you cook after your mission, anyway."

PPK pushed her way to the front of the team, gazing at the boar carcasses before turning to Hatch. Her voice trembled in excitement. "You got fresh kills and skinned them without me? Naughty, naughty Commander! Always leaving me away from the fun stuff."

"And you wonder why?" Hatch shook his head. "PPK, maybe it's because you're kind of—"

Doogan interjected. "A fuckin' psychopath? Fuck me running, they're just pigs. You gonna get yourself off too?"

The handgun doll giggled as she stared longingly at her commander. "But my Commander loves it though, don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah sure, whatever. Just stay away from me when the rounds start flying, got it? I don't want you trying to finger my wounds or some weird shit."

Springfield waited for the exchange to end before giving a nervous smile. "Well, erm. Regardless, I'm sure it'll be a fine evening for all. I could bake some bread, if you'd like. I'm sure it'd go great with the meat."

Heads bobbed up and down in agreement, none willing to refuse "Mama Springfield's" baking. Even WA2k lightened up, despite the fact she was still being restrained.

The rifle model doll shuffled as she continued her grip on WA2k. "Then it's settled! But we've sat around long enough. I do think we should be on our way, gear to clean—"

"Truck to turn in." Doogan chimed in as he lit another cigarette. "You know Grizz is gonna be pissed if the truck ain't turned in right."

Hatch shook his head. "We might as well make her in charge of all the vehicles. At least she does her job."

"I do too. See?" Doogan pointed at the truck. "It's not fucked up and it's in one piece. Job's done. I'm on my off time right now."

Hatch rolled his eyes as he returned his attention to G41 and the others."Right. Regardless, 41 you know the drill. Get everything turned in and taken care of."

The assault rifle doll puffed her cheeks, but Hatch refused to buckle. He maintained a stern gaze as he pointed at the truck. "Go on now. I'll still be here. You can get all the headpats and snuggles later."

"Fiiine." G41 fetched her hat from off the ground. "Echelon two, let's go."

The dolls piled in and nearly got away before Hatch interrupted with a cough.

"Think you forgot something."

The dolls looked around confused before noticing still unconscious A91. G41 covered her mouth with her hands. "Oopsie! Someone go get our friend!"

"Yeah 'oopsie'." Hatch groaned as he picked the doll up off the ground and into a princess carry. "Don't worry! Yeah, no big, I got this."

Hatch brought A91 over to the back of the truck and was just about to throw her in when his mouth was greeted with the taste of alcohol. The doll quickly mashed her lips against before pulling away, licking her lips with a smile.

"Nicotine and alcohol, my favorite. Give us another pleeeeaaase!"

Hatch pulled back in disgust and ignored the other dolls' shocked reactions as he unceremoniously threw the T-doll onto the MRAP's troop compartment floor. "Yeah, right. Get the fuck in the truck, dumbass."

He slammed the doors shut and smacked the side of the vehicle. "Alright 41, you're all good!"

As the truck rumbled off towards the motor pool Hatch made his way back to his seat and sat down, burying his face in his hands.

"Is this is a base or a circus?!"

"You dug this grave. Now lay in it." Michael placed a beer in front of Hatch and popped the top off his own. "I told you these dolls handle positive reinforcement differently than humans do."

"Ugh." Hatch sloshed the contents of the beer around in his mouth in an attempt to wash out the weird aftertaste of A91. "Shame on me for not treating em' like Marines, cause we all know how well that worked the first time."

"Or like Matthias." Doogan chimed in with a puff a smoke. "Could be a lot fuckin' worse mate."

"Fuck that guy."

"Regardless, this is your own fault. I warned you, but, eh, nobody ever listens to me." Michael shrugged. "Still, they seem happy and they do their job well enough which makes my job easier, so whatever."

Hatch moved his chair back against Dozer and looked up at the motionless goliath. "You don't give me any problems, do ya, pal?"

He waited for a response that he knew wasn't coming before smiling. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Michael cleared his throat. "Not to shit on your private conversation but..." He pointed at the other carcasses. "The rest of this meat isn't going to cut itself, and we need to get stuff ready for tonight."

"Fuuck." Hatch groaned as he got out of his chair. "The things I put up with."

* * *

 _Hours later…_

 **MESS AREA**

Hatch was no stranger to setting up special chow events. During times of relative peace and quiet, many of his old units would frequently invite the family members of personnel on base to partake in foodstuffs not normally served at the chow halls.

It promoted camaraderie and a sense of family, something that many desperately clung to during darker times. So it was no surprise that Hatch didn't spare any expense in making sure his new family got the best evening he could provide.

The normally quiet mess hall was ripe with activity as everyone, human and doll alike partook in enjoying the feast. Long rectangular tables stretched from either side of the room filled to the brim with condiments and personnel as music played from speakers and beer bottles clanged together over laughter.

In moderation, of course, Hatch didn't want anyone getting sloshed.

Tucked away at one of the corners of the room and guarded by Dozer sat a small unoccupied round table. Dogtags and opened beer bottles were neatly arranged in front of each empty seat in tribute to the many comrades Hatch had lost in his old unit.

Hatch cracked his back from behind the serving table as he looked on at the festivities. He then looked over at Michael and nudged his shoulder.

"Bring back any memories?"

Michael gave the commander a blank look."...I wish it didn't."

"Yeah...yeah me too. Simpler days."

"If you could call em' that." Michael let his hands rest in the pockets of his jacket. It had been a long day and as good as the food was, he was just ready for bed.

Calico came up from behind the pair and draped an arm around each of their shoulders. "Geez you two need to lighten up. Eat up! This is for everyone right?"

Hatch pointed at the empty tray on the table."Like you didn't see me polish off a tray earlier. All the other echelon leaders are out there hanging out with their teams and you're back here with two old guys—"

A nearby doll cleared her throat, G36. Like the other dolls, she was garbed in her choice of eccentric off duty clothes- a maid outfit in this case. She folded her arms with a huff glaring at the festivities.

"You see fun? I see a large cleanup."

Calico scoffed. "Oh don't be such a grump, 36. I saw you smiling like a kid in a candy store when you had some of Springfield's bread."

"I..." The doll frowned, she knew Calico was right.

Both of the men removed Calico's arms as Hatch laughed."She's right, I saw it with my own eyes. You know, maybe if you smiled more, the other dolls would reach out."

"Or it's because I'm not in any of their echelons." G36 watched FN49 and another assault rifle doll, FNC, squabble over a brownie. "I might as well be a stranger to them."

Calico smirked. "No, I think it's the scary face."

Michael shook his head. "It's her optics. I don't know what asshole didn't properly calibrate them, but she's stuck in a permanent glare. She has to squint in order to see properly."

He reached into his khaki colored cargo pants and pulled out a notepad and pen, talking to himself as he scribbled some notes. "Gotta see to fixing that."

Hatch stared in disbelief. The more he learned about his dolls, the more he began to question the quality control of I.O.P.'s engineers.

"Well, whatever the case is, go out and there and shake a leg 36. You worked hard helping us set this up. I want you to have fun too."

G36 was about to protest, but Hatch raised an eyebrow. "That's an order."

"As you wish, Commander."

The doll left their company and made her way over to FNC and FN49 to chastise them about all the crumbs they were spilling.

"And you?" Hatch returned his attention to Calico. "You gonna go run off too?"

"Nope, Thunder's a big girl she can take care of herself." She frowned. "Besides, someone has to babysit you."

"More like someone is keeping tabs on me."

"I don't know, maybe. I take my eyes off you for a moment and you're mashing faces with A91."

Hatch groaned. "Oh so now we have spies. Is someone jealous? Concerned? You should know I had no say in that."

"Of course you didn't."

"As I live and breath, I saw them making out as if the end was nigh." Michael heaved a dramatic sigh. "To think our commander was such a degenerate."

Hatch grumbled. "Man, both of you can kiss my ass."

Calico grinned at her commander's irritation."Or you could have A91 do it." Calico grinned.

Hatch was about to retort when he heard Kalina yelling from across the room. The adjutant raised a beer bottle."Let's hear it from the Commander! We want to hear a speech!"

Hatch threw his arms up in protest. "Ah, c'mon Kalina! Nobody needs that."

Kalina wasn't hearing it however, promptly put her beer down and slamming her gloved fists on the table as she chanted.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!"

It took little time for the entire room join in, thunderous in their beats and with bellowing yells. Faced with overwhelming peer pressure, Hatch had no choice but to cave in. He made his way to the front of the room and turned to face everyone.

"Alright you goddamn kids! Everyone needs daddy's attention, huh?!" The commander put his hands out to get some order and waited for things to quiet down before clearing his throat.

"Look at this. Good food, beer, and you still want more. What am I gonna do with you guys, huh?"

Hatch laughed and folded his arms. "How we doin S09?!"

The entire room cheered in response as drinks were raised into the air.

"Outstanding. Hell, I already knew the answer. I just gotta drum up some hype, you know?"

Hatch began to pace back and forth. "It's been a while since we've done something like this, huh? Coming together and just, taking it easy you know? Ya'll know I enjoy doing things like this cause you deserve it."He paused. "We deserve it. Why? Cause we've come a long way since that awkward speech I gave day one. Christ, it's been what, months?"

Multiple heads nodded in response.

"Yeah, months. Feels like just yesterday I was putting dolls through mini boot camp and trying to figure out how to use spreadsheets. Shit, what a time it's been." He smiled. "Now look at us, we're a damn family."

A couple of staff members hooped and hollered causing eliciting a warm feeling of satisfaction from their commander. Hatch blew some air out from between his lips as he continued. "There's a lot of things I could say, things you've probably heard before. But, uh, to put it bluntly? I want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who's helped me get this far."

Hatch went back to pacing, a habit of his whenever he started getting nervous. He was no stranger to speeches, but he certainly didn't like giving them all the same. "Without your patience and dedication, things would not have gone as smoothly as they have. I think we've all had some adjusting to do, huh?"

He singled out Thunder in the crowd. "Like one of our more recent members, Thunder. Give it up for her, yeah? The girl's all cleared to go on missions!" Hatch clapped his hands together prompting the rest of the room to do the same.

Thunder smiled shyly and looked down at the floor, her face turning a dark shade of red.

Hatch put his hands up and waited for everyone to quiet down before continuing. "But make no mistake people, the fight is still out there. Other bases are out there whooping it on and taking some hard hits. I know we're not out here making bodies, but our job is no less important. We're the ones watching the flank, the picket line."

He took a moment to scan over the crowd in front of him. By this point he knew the face of every man, woman, and doll under his command. "But when that fight comes, I have no doubt all of you will perform. I've overseen the training so it's got my stamp of approval."

Hatch impatiently tapped one of his boots. Despite all this motivation all he really wanted to do was retire to his room for the evening.

"Well, I think I've said all I wanted to say. Unless anyone has anything for me ya'll are free to continue and go back to do whatever. We don't have any operations going on tonight so our to-do list is all clear, just be sure to check the guard rotations."

Everyone was quiet and for a brief moment Hatch was pretty sure he was in the clear to go dip off. It would be a quiet evening and he'd finally get some alone time with his favorite bottle of liquor.

That is, until he saw Zas waving at him with a coy smile. She pointed at her fingernails and mouthed something Hatch couldn't understand, a gesture that attracted more than just a few concerned looks from other dolls.

There would be no peace tonight. In fact, a storm was brewing on the horizon. Hatch could only rub his eyes in exhaustion as he mentally prepared himself for what was coming up next.

"Alright, well then. I'm off to go take care of things. You take it easy S09."

The crowd gave one last cheer before returning to the festivities, leaving Hatch to begin his long journey back to his quarters. He stopped by Kalina and Michael to get some final administrative things settled before calling for Dozer.

For many others their night was coming to a close, but for Hatch his was only just beginning.

* * *

 **HATCH'S QUARTERS**

Hatch grimaced as he examined his new multi-colored nails in the bathroom mirror. He had promised to not only get his nails painted, but to wear the new colors for a few days as well. Three to be exact, three days of having to wear gloves whenever he wasn't in his room.

Keeping the dolls happy was a tough, but necessary line of work.

Michael called the process the feedback loop. The dolls were specifically programmed to serve and take joy in being rewarded for their efforts. The more they felt like they meant something, the better they did their jobs.

Kind of like a real human… or a dog.

Thankfully, after hours of squabbling with Zas and other curious dolls, Hatch had finally secured some much needed alone time. The commander took his FROG shirt off and reached for the flask on his counter, unscrewing the top off and downing the contents with vigor.

" _ **HURRY UP AND FINISH GETTING SITUATED. WE GOT DOSSIERS TO LOOK OVER AND REMINISCING TO DO. ALSO, I THINK YOU FORGOT ABOUT SOMETHING AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ADMIRING YOUR NEW NAILS."**_

"Yeah, don't get your panties in a bunch." Hatch turned the faucet on prepping his toothbrush and sticking it into his mouth before heading back into his room.

He stopped by his desk and pressed a few buttons on his laptop to get some music going before clapping his hands, causing some blue holograms to appear in the center of the room. Hatch continued to brush his teeth as he reviewed the data Michael had forwarded to him earlier. Four faces and their names: M4A1, ST-AR 15, SOPMOD II, and M16.

Dozer leaned in to get a better look at the files. _**"TEAM AR? WHAT'S THAT, ASSAULT RIFLE? HOW ORIGINAL. THEN AGAIN, I.O.P DOES MAKE SOME PRETTY FUCKING WEIRD DOLLS, DOESN'T IT?"**_

Hatch shook his head and spat into a nearby trash bin. "I dunno, who told you to speak?"

" _ **LET'S NOT PLAY THIS GAME AGAIN, BENJY. I ONLY SPEAK CAUSE YOU WANT ME TO."**_ The doll slowly turned its head towards him. _**"LORD KNOWS YOU WON'T LISTEN TO YOUR OWN FUCKIN' CONSCIENCE."**_

"Uh huh." Hatch cycled through the files until he stopped at M4's and was just about to open it when something crossed his mind.

"Hey, when you said I had something to do, what exactly did you mean?"

" _ **THINK ABOUT IT, DUMBASS."**_

Hatch did recap of everything that had transpired earlier until finally a moment of dread crept over him. It was his mom's birthday and he still hadn't called her.

Hatch frantically closed the holograms and switched the display to video call as he tried to get a connection to her house.

" _ **NICE GOING JACKASS."**_

"Blow me."

The vid feed buzzed before the crystal clear image of a very disgruntled older woman came into view; she had been waiting for his call. Her name, Melinda Hatch, appeared at the bottom right corner of the screen as the connection stabilized.

"Benjamin Mikhailovitch Hatch." Melinda's face turned red as she quickly tied her hair up into a bun, a habit of hers whenever she was about to chew someone out. "Boy, you best have had a good reason as to why you didn't call your mother earlier." She paused and looked on disgust. "And where's your goddamn shirt?! You foolin' around with that doll again?"

Hatch's voice trembled as it took on a southern drawl. "S-Sorry Ma!" The commander quickly fumbled through some laundry on his bed and threw on a PT shirt.

"That's better. Now, you gonna explain yourself?"

Hatch brought his hands together and would've dropped to his knees had he still been a young boy. "Well, Ma, I was busy. It's been a real heckuva day, you know? I had a job to do—"

"Boy, you always got a job to do! Now I'd understand any other normal day, but on this day?" Melinda shook her head. "That's just rude Benjy! Downright inconsiderate. Bad enough Joe didn't show up. He's quick to refer you to PMC groups, but not show up to my own birthday!?" Melinda pointed to a rather large Dinergate that was staring at the screen from behind a chair. "Just look at Flipjack! He's all sorts of shook!"

" _ **WHAT HE MEANS TO SAY IS THAT HE WAS TOO BUSY WITH HIS DOLLS."**_

Hatch furrowed his brow. "Uncle Joe didn't show up? Well, I'll be sure to give him an earful." His expression changed once he took notice of the Dinergate. No matter how many times Hatch saw the old bot, his excitement never changed. It was his first pet after all. Or rather, his first artificial one.

"Hey Flip, sorry I haven't been able to talk boy. I've been busy with all sorts of things."

Any anger from earlier quickly dissipated as his mother put a hand over her mouth in concern, ignoring the Dinergate's cheerful change in disposition. "What kinda things? Lord, tell me you ain't had to start shootin' things again, Benjy."

"Not yet, but I might have to. I can't say the specifics, just know I wouldn't have forgotten if there wasn't a lot going on."

Melinda gave a warm smile and rested her chin on one of her hands. "Christ Benjy. You're just like your father, you know? He used to say the same damn thing every time he couldn't come home."

"Please, I'm not even half the man Pops was."

"Now you hush, you know that ain't true. You came back from the goddamn same war your father died in. God's smilin' on you."

" _ **BUT DOES IT REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT? AFTER ALL WE LOST?"**_

Hatch smiled with a nod. "Yeah, I guess you're right Ma."

"Course I'm right." His mother gave a victorious grin. "Now then, I don't wanna keep ya long, but I did get your birthday present." She raised her voice slightly as she yelled towards the back of the room. "Hey Delilah! Someone wants to talk to ya!"

The camera feed shifted around the living room she was in and Hatch felt his heart sink as the familiar sights came into view. Everything was exactly as it was before he left; the rustic fireplace, the American aesthetics of the furniture, and, of course, the family dogs and their Dinergate companions relaxing around the television.

A young, pale girl turned the corner from the kitchen and made her way into the living room. She was a dainty thing, definitely younger than Hatch. Her brown hair was cut short and she wore a summer dress not unlike what the other girls from Hatch's hometown used to wear. Her face was pristine, like it had been manufactured to perfection. Which it was. She was an A-doll after all. An assistant class doll designed to help with day to day activities. She looked at Melinda confused and responded in a voice that was almost too soft for Hatch to hear.

"Yes, Miss Hatch?"

"Come take a look here. See this? This is my boy Benjy, he brought you to me, darlin'! Gave you a nice home here!"

The doll did a curtsy and smiled. "Thank you very much for purchasing me. The farm is very nice and I enjoy it here."

Hatch shuddered at the statement. No matter how many times he had seen and purchased dolls he still couldn't get over the fact that they weren't human. The concept of it all still felt wrong.

"Hey, no worries. I heard a lot of good things about your models and a close I.O.P friend of mine had nothing but positive things to say. I know you'll help her a lot."

Melinda shook her head. "Benjy, you know damn well I can take care of the farm by myself, but she's been an absolute treat to have around. Thank you, Benjy."

"Of course, and everything else is okay?" Hatch raised an eyebrow. "Payments? Medication?"

"Yes, yes. Everything's fine Benjy. With your monthly payments and my new friend here, I'm back on my feet."

Hatch gave a thumbs up. "Good. Well, look Ma, I got an early wake-up tomorrow and lots of stuff to do." He gave a fake yawn and stretched. "And it's getting late."

"Alright alright." Melinda smiled and waved. "I love you, my beautiful baby boy. You stay safe out there and you come back home to me safe, you hear? I already lost one important man in my life, I ain't losing another."

Hatch gave a reassuring smile. "I know Ma. It wasn't a decision I made in haste, you know that. This is for us, I'll come back home, I promise.

"Alright, you better."

Mother and son exchanged one last goodbye before ending the transmission. Hatch sat on the corner of his bed for a few seconds before looking back at his door. It was slightly ajar.

" _ **LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A NIGHT VISITOR. DON'T WORRY I'LL SHUT UP. YOU HAVE FUUUN."**_

Hatch glared at Dozer before returning his attention to the guest. "So how long have you been standing there?"

Calico opened the door and walked in flabbergasted. "Long enough, how'd you know I was here?"

"Cause you always show up at this time?" Hatch looked around her. "Where's your cohort?"

"Thunder? Oh, I convinced her to go hang out with Spitfire." Calico closed the door behind her and locked it.

"Oh, so you could have me alone? I thought I was still in the doghouse for the A91 debacle."

"You are." Calico responded matter of factly.

Hatch made his way over to his pantry and pulled out his favorite bottle of rum. He knew the routine. "Which is why you locked the door behind you."

"I don't want anyone to disturb me while I chastise you."

"Riight." Hatch brought the liquor over to the couch and set it down on the table. He pat a spot next to him. "You wanna come over here and chastise me?"

Calico looked at the bottle then at Hatch's guitar. "Tell you what, you get a couple shots in and start playing that guitar and maybe I'll consider it."

"Why?"

"Cause I like you better when you're drunk and stupid." Calico smirked. "I mean, you're always stupid, but the real you comes out when you're drunk."

"The real me?"

"Yeah, the one who plays really good and gets all emotional. Starts blabbering in Russian."

"Are you trying to take advantage of me?"

"Yes, it's amusing. Besides, you owe me for bailing on rehearsing with Thunder and I."

"Christ, I just can't win. Alright, fine." Hatch pat the spot again. "But I'm gonna need some motivation."

Calico raised an eyebrow. "I motivate you to drink?"

"Nah, you motivate me to play _**and**_ drink. Among other things of course."

"Now that's more like it." The stubborn doll made her way over and sat close to her commander, resting her head on his shoulder with a smile. "Okay, now _**entertain me**_ Mister Pretty Nails."

"Of course, my muse."

* * *

 **OUTSKIRTS OF S09, SETTLEMENT 1**

Success. After hours of moving through dense forests, she finally found a settlement she could lay low in.

Had she been any normal doll, the chances of her infiltrating the town would have been slim to none, even with a handler. Fortunately for her, she was constructed with only the best technology available. As such, she was the best, short of actual human special forces and their own dolls. Getting to the settlement would be easy enough, despite the scattered minefields her optics were picking out. However, moving through it to reach the barn she had scouted out would require more grace.

The doll followed her nav system as she walked between mines, taking special care to avoid any Claymore tripwires that jutted out at odd angles. She could tell that whoever had set the explosives up had done so with practice hands. Not bad for local militia.

Once she got through the minefields, she slipped through fenced-in yards and through farm fields in an effort to avoid the locals. There was no telling if they were sympathetic to GnK's cause. All she knew was that she needed to lay low and find comms she could hack into. With any luck she would be able to get a hold of some local GnK outpost and get an extraction. The Blackhawk she saw earlier couldn't have flown too far; most base commanders rarely sent their dolls that far away from friendly lines.

The doll waited for some irregulars atop a BMP to drive down a dirt road before crossing behind them and towards the barn. She brought her weapon up and scanned left to right as her night optics kicked in. No signs of life and it seemed like all the animals were out grazing.

Upon reaching the large wooden doors she sighed in relief. No padlock meant no extra noise. With as much caution as she could muster, she opened one of the big doors and peered inside. No occupants either. Another stroke of luck.

Once inside, she made her way to the far back of the barn and took refuge behind some hay bales against a wall. Satisfied that all was in good order, she allowed herself to slump down, keeping her weapon trained forward.

Now all she had to do was wait for the morning, a task easier said than done. Her digimind was clouded with thoughts of her sisters.

"Just hang in there. Help is coming."


	6. VIP

**I apologize for the incredibly long wait, but a lot has been going on over here. Mostly graduation shit and getting ready for new work. That been said, I'll update whenever I can. I can't guarantee a set schedule, but don't expect future releases to be as long a wait as this one was.**

 **Anyways, so far it looks like people have been somewhat enjoying this story which is very encouraging. Stopping my old story and moving to something new was a big leap, but it had to be done. Glad to see this hard work is paying off, but enough talk. I'll see you in the reviews and the next chapter.**

* * *

VIP

" _Dolls aren't going to replace humans in combat, you kidding me? Have you ever seen them actually go up against someone who knows how to fight?"_

-Rocksert Senator Armstrong shortly before the lopsided series of Rocksert victories against Human Rights Group extremists

 **OUTSKIRTS OF S09**

Far and away from both Hatch's base and Settlement One, strangers looked on from a nearby forest. They had tracked their quarry for days and to say it had been a tough hunt was an understatement. Their prey was a breed of tactical doll that far surpassed the normal GnK models. Then again, so were they.

She had been resourceful, cunning, and above all, incredibly proficient in dispatching her pursuers' scouts. However, she had grown complacent and now her hunters had her right where they wanted her. The two ringleaders turned to face a shimmering hologram of their superior they had contacted moments earlier.

"And you are sure she is there?"

"My calculations are never wrong. She will go to the humans and radio for help from the nearby GnK outpost. I am 99.9999% sure of this."

The dolls' superior considered the data for a few seconds.

"Very well, you have your orders. You are to bring her to me unharmed."

One of the dolls chuckled as she ran a finger along her wicked greatsword. "And if she struggles? Surely a missing limb won't be too much of an inconvenience?"

"I am not in the mood for your games! My orders stand; what good are you if you can't even follow these simple instructions!?"

The other doll shook her head. "My calculations say she will not go quietly, but we will do as we can. Success is~" She paused and smiled under her mask. "Guaranteed."

The hologram nodded. "Good. See to it then." It turned to face one of the dolls. "Scarecrow, you will attack the PMC forces and prevent them from reaching Target Alpha. That outpost is only for surveillance, but I want no chance of mishaps. Surely you can handle that much?"

The doll, codenamed Scarecrow, took an exaggerated bow. "Of course."

" Executioner." The hologram turned to face Scarecrow's comrade. "You are an apt fighter. The militia in the nearby settlement should be of no challenge to you."

"Of course, consider it done." Executioner smiled, licking her lips. "Thank you for leaving me with the fun task."

The superior scoffed. "Enough talk then, get to it. Oh and one more thing?"

Both of the dolls responded as one. "Yes?"

"Kill them, kill them all. Nothing is to stand between us and that doll."

"As you command."

Once the holo-feed cut off both of the dolls looked back at the horde of automatons behind them. It was time to hunt.

* * *

 **HATCH'S QUARTERS**

It was always the same: the intense feeling of fatigue, the lack of clothing, the terrible aftertaste of stale booze and cigarettes. Hatch groaned as all these sensations bombarded him at once. Fortunately, it seemed like he wouldn't have to experience them alone, something warm and soft had been enveloping him. A female body; someone had decided to snuggle up with their commander on the couch. Judging by the fact Hatch couldn't hear breathing or feel a pulse he deduced it was one of his dolls. Ordinarily, he would've made a fuss, but as the memories from last night began to creep up on him, he gave pause. He had spent most of the night with Calico, which meant that it was probably her laying next to him.

Hatch gave a weak smile and kept his eyes closed as he wrapped his arms around her. He relaxed, enjoying the comfortable feeling for a few moments until something dawned on him. This was not Calico. Even hungover, Hatch could tell that something didn't match up. The body was smaller than Calico, and as Hatch slowly moved a hand around he began to feel certain physical features that definitely didn't belong to the doll. First, there was the bushy tail. Second, the ears poking the bottom of his chin.

"Good morning master!"

G41, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what had happened. Calico had left Hatch to pass out on the couch and let the needy doll in behind her. Once again, Hatch had been duped by the clever doll.

The commander sighed as he untangled himself from the doll's long hair and pulled a blanket up.

"41, how many times have I told you to not hop up on me in the middle of the nigh-" He paused as he examined the risque nightwear G41 was wearing and shook his head. "And how many times have I told you to not wear that outfit?"

Hatch's rules on base were simple. On duty you wore proper protective equipment, off duty you could generally wear whatever you want so long as it didn't attract needless attention. Unfortunately, some of the dolls "shipped" with incredibly bizarre outfits, G41 was no exception.

The doll giggled and snuggled closer. "Many times."

"So why do you keep doing it?"

"Because I can't help myself and it helps you sleep better." G41 responded matter of factly.

Hatch couldn't help but give a weak chuckle, she was stubborn like his dogs back home. "Because the alcohol doesn't already help?"

Seeing that she was running out of excuses, G41 gave a disgruntled huff and put on her best pouty face. She did this for a few minutes until Hatch rolled his eyes and started rubbing her ears.

"Okay, fine you win. Tell you what. Wake me up in like, two hours and I'll make breakfast."

Much to Hatch's chagrin, G41 could barely contain her growing excitement. "Oh, the special pancakes your mom taught you?!"

"Yep."

"With the blueberries!?"

"No, the other kind Dozer makes."

"Dozer can make pancakes? Why didn't you tell me this? It's not nice to keep secrets from me!"  
Hatch opened his eyes and stared at the doll with a less than amused expression. "You're kidding me, right?"

The doll grinned and wagged her tail furiously. "Hah! I got you!"

"Oh, that's a good one." Hatch closed his eyes and smiled. "Really funny.

Clearly, sarcasm was a foreign concept to the doll as the retort only further amused her. She only giggled and continued to indulge herself in the cuddling.

"Alright, goofball. Now let me get my sleep." Hatch sighed and went back to getting what meager rest he could. A brief respite until Kalina's voice came yelling over his room's personal intercom.

"Hatch! Commander Hatch!? Benjamin?!"

Each word was like nails on chalkboard and Hatch gripped his head in agony as his bloodshot eyes started looking around the room. Throughout all this G41 had almost fallen off the couch in an attempt to avoid her commander's ire. Hatch frantically reached over to his nightstand and slammed on the intercom device doing his best to hide his agitation.

"What!? What is it Kalina!?"

The adjutant's voice took on a nervous tone, no doubt aware of the fact she had rudely awakened her superior. "Oh good morning commander. Well, Beska is on the other line."

Hatch let go of the intercom device with a groan and sat upright allowing his legs to dangle off the side of the couch. He yawned and pressed a hand to his head.

"Alright, put him on."

There were a series of beeps as the transmission was transferred and in moments Hatch was greeted by a familiar Slavic accent. "Ah, yes, hello Hatch! My old friend, it has been too long!"

"Please Beska, you and I both know we did business yesterday." Hatch rubbed his eyes. "You say this every time we chat."

There was a nervous laugh on the other end followed by a series of coughs. "Ah yes, you are right. Just being polite."

Hatch bolted up in agitation only to sit back down and continue to massage his forehead. "I told you we were going to be down for base maintenance today, I can't take any jobs."

"Ah yes, well. It's not about that. You see, something happened."

"What do you mean 'something happened?'" Hatch slowly opened his eyes and reached over to start scratching behind G41's ears. "Some system go out, mines acting fucky? What?"

Beska cleared his throat once more and as Hatch listened intently he could tell there was a lot of chatter going on in the back, something was up. "Well, we found this doll in one of the barns. Actually, I think she found us."

"Wait, what?" Hatch sat dumbfounded. "The hell do you mean, you found a doll?"

"Well, one of our farmers was going through his barn and he found this strange looking girl armed with a carbine inside."

"Uh huh?"

"Well once we got her calmed down and assured we weren't the enemy she finally started talking some more—"

"Beska, get to the point. All my dolls are here and accounted for. There's no goddamn way—"

Hatch's eyes went wide as he began snapping his fingers for G41 to leave the room. At first, the doll looked like she was going to whine, but a quick glare and some more rapid snapping sent the message home. Once the doll had left, Hatch opened up the hologram display to the dossiers of AR team and began quickly looking over each profile.

"Did she say who she was with?"

"Just GnK. Other besides that she says that's all she can tell—"

"Okay? What does she look like?"

"Uh, one moment—yes could you hold still? Thank you—Yes, Hatch? Right, so she has long, jet black hair—"

"With a green highlight?" Hatch zoomed in on one of the dossiers. "Headphones over the top?"

"Yes, and her clothes-"

"Tan hoodie wrapped around her waist? Doesn't look anything like one of my girls?" Hatch felt a very uncomfortable feeling start to creep up on him. "Weird boots with green trimming on them?"

Beska's tone shifted into one of utter confusion. "Yes? H-how did you know?"

"Fuck, fuck fuck fuck!" Hatch quickly got up and started running around his room, tripping over various objects as he tried to get various pieces of gear on. "Shit–Beska?! Beska, do _**not**_ let her leave that building, you got it!?"

"Hatch, I don't understand. Is something wrong?-"

"Just don't fucking let her leave that building! I'll be there soon. Hatch out!" The commander quickly pulled his trousers up and pressed a series of buttons on a nearby console before yelling the intercom. "Kalina! Tell Doogan to get the chopper ready and have Calico prep her team, we're dusting off!" He looked over at Dozer and put his shirt on. "And tell Doogan to prep Dozer's shit!"

The confused adjutant barely had time to drum up a response before Hatch was yelling at her again. "And tell Springfield extra cream! Switch me over to Michael's channel!"

"R-roger that commander! Should I let Helian know you're heading out?"

"No, I got that. Just transfer me over!"

Hatch finished buckling up the rest of his gear and had just slung his carbine when Michael's tired and disgruntled voice came over the intercom. "Hatch, this had better be good."

"We fucking found her, it's M4A1!"

Michael coughed and sputtered. "What? M4—?"

"Dozer let's go–Mike she's at Settlement One! I'm heading out right now!"

With that, Hatch rushed out of the room with Dozer in tow, leaving a baffled Michael alone over the net.

* * *

 **IN TRANSIT TO SETTLEMENT ONE**

"And you're sure they found her?"

"The description matches M4A1's profile perfectly. Beska's old, but he's not an idiot. I've been running jobs for him and his people for a while now."

"Well then, so be it. Hatch, don't make this take any longer than it needs. Get that doll and get out, are we clear? I'll arrange for an armed drone to be sent up to ensure the handover goes smoothly. Should things get stupid, for whatever reason, I'm sure the locals will find the Maverick's a proper detriment."

"Oh, so you do care about me."

"The doll, Hatch. Be sure to confirm your ID with her. Helian out."

"Yikes, roger."

Hatch cut the transmission with Helian and took another sip from his coffee thermos. The caffeine did little to calm his hangover, but at least he was warm and waking up. He watched as the countryside passed below the helicopter and kept an eye on the gathering clouds above.

It was probably going to rain soon. Perfect.

"So, this doll, what's so special about her? Why did we all have to drop what we were doing to go get this big welcome party for her?"

"Yeah, like, what's the big deal? And why did we have to bring Dozer with us?"

Hatch frowned as tried to enjoy his coffee. He was getting sick and tired of questions he didn't have the answers to.

"She's important to command, that's all there is to it." He shook his head. "Look, don't worry about it, alright? We go in real professional-like, get her, and go. Simple. Then you can all go back to doing whatever the hell you'd like."

Calico rolled her eyes and slapped the back of her weapon's helical magazine. "Yeah, well, if there's anything good that can come out of this, it's the shopping."

MP40 smiled warmly. "Oh! I wonder if the local market has anything good today? The little old lady that works there is always so nice to us. _Ist sehr gut_!"

"See? And I even brought a grocery list. Once I get the warm fuzzies you girls can split up and grab some stuff from the market." Hatch gave a thumbs up. "Beats the hell out of chow hall vegetables."

Khadrov shook his head from behind his weapon station. "That's great and all, but I do not understand why we had to take the killbot. The fat bastard, he is wearing down Mozzie! How her engine weeps!"

"Better yet, why did Khadrov and I have to come as well? This is a simple pick up, no?" Dima unenthusiastically chimed in. "Seems more like a hot drop to me, but eh, what do I know right?"

Hatch took one last sip from his coffee thermos before securing it in a storage bin.

"Because I'm not taking any chances. I don't want to get caught with my pants down if suddenly some jackass in town thinks he can potentially make a quick buck."

Doogan raised a hand incredulously. "What kinda fuckin' nutter would be dumb enough to try, eh? Better yet, how would they know the doll's valuable?"

Hatch shrugged. "I don't know, but it's pretty obvious she isn't one of ours. Everyone has seen our dolls before."

Doogan brought the helicopter over the river separating the base from the settlement. "If you say so, but they know how we do business. Be a real suicide act—"

"Would it though? They've seen our echelons and even got some rudimentary training from us, what's not to say a valuable doll won't make someone feel plucky? You heard what Mike said, don't get complacent. They've never seen Dozer before, that'll tip the odds in our favor."

Grizzly chuckled from the copilot's seat. "You think that alone is gonna scare them enough?"

"Trust me Grizz, you ain't see what one of them bots can do. There's a very good reason why the military doesn't play nice with that tech falling into private hands." Hatch gave Dozer's armored head a pat.

Throughout all of this, the commander couldn't help but notice some less than amused glances being thrown his way courtesy of the other dolls.

"Not that my girls can't kick enough ass as it is."

The dolls seemed anything but reassured. Hatch nervously cleared his throat before clapping his hands.

"Right, well then, here's how this is gonna go. We go in, make a good scene and see what this doll is all about. Once I get the warm fuzzies, we bring her back."

Calico gave her pistol a few spins. "Formation?"

"Nothing, we're not here to kick ass and take names." Hatch looked over at FN49. "Although, I do think it'd be wise for you to stay in the helicopter with Doogan. I'm gonna keep him in overwatch, we're gonna need your eyes up high."

The rifle doll saluted with a sheepish smile. "I w-won't let you down!"

"I know you won't, none of you will." Hatch gave a thumbs up before leaning out of the troop bay. He could start to see the smoke coming from countless chimneys, which meant they were getting close.

"Alright, we're getting close ladies. Do any last gear checks and get ready to rock n' roll. Oh, and someone make sure big bastard over here is ready to go, get the Kord and the shield ready."

Magazines were fed into chambers and straps were fastened as the team got ready for the big meeting. A large olive drab shield was quickly fastened onto Dozer's back and a heavy machine gun slid alongside him.

"Right, coming up onto the town. Gonna put her down in the town square!"

Hatch gave a thumbs up as he watched the countryside get replaced by farms and scattered houses.

" _ **YOU KNOW IT WON'T BE THAT EASY."**_

Hatch closed his eyes and grit his teeth as his head started to throb.

" _ **YOU'RE PARANOID SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT RADIO MESSAGE DUMBASS BESKA SENT PROBABLY WASN'T ENCRYPTED."**_

The commander rapidly shook his head as he tried to calm himself down, he couldn't reach for the flask in his pouch. Not in front of his girls on a mission.

Dozer's head slowly turned around, the dolls visors flashing brighter. " _ **I THINK YOU WERE SMART BRINGING ME. SOMETHING TELLS ME WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME VISITORS REAL SOON. QUESTION IS, HOW MANY BODIES ARE THERE GONNA BE THIS TIME?"**_

Hatch closed his eyes. "Shut up. Just… Shut up."

"Who are you talking to?"

The commander looked over his shoulder at his dolls' confused faces. Of course, they couldn't see what he saw. How could they? They weren't suffering from withdrawal-induced hallucinations. Hatch envied them, perhaps being artificial had some perks after all.

Hatch gave a goofy shrug. "Ah, that wasn't you guys? Shit, these old ears must be hearing things. That or my comms are acting funny, whoops."

Satisfied everything was fine, all of the dolls went back to tending to their gear. All save for Calico. The concerned echelon leader and her commander stared at each other for several moments before exchanging nods.

"Alright, we're here. Bringing her down now."

Hatch and his team braced themselves as the helicopter leveled out and began to descend. Each team member made their way to the open bay doors, patting each other on the back to confirm all was in good order.

As the landing wheels hit the deck the team began piling out with Dozer taking the lead. Confused settlers and animals did their best to escape the helicopter's down wash as they scattered like leaves in the wind.

Once the team was out Hatch turned around and waved at the chopper and as it took off he could hear the Russian crew chiefs yell out to him.

" _Udachi, komandir!_ "

" _Spasibo!"_

Once things quieted down, Dozer's head scanned left and right before he lowered his massive machine gun. _**"AREA CLEAR NO SIGN OF HOSTILES. ALL NONCOMBATANTS ARE ADVISED TO MAINTAIN PROPER DISPERSION FROM THIS UNIT."**_

Hatch fixed his helmet to the front of his plate carrier and gave an embarrassed sigh."Yeah, no shit?"

Calico holstered her weapon prompting the rest of the team to do the same. It was bad enough the locals were spooked by the giant killbot.

"I told you it was a bad idea to bring him along." Calico shook her head and made her way to Hatch's side. "Quick pickup turns into what looks like a damn combat drop. You're the master of appearances you know that?"

"You know my motto: I aim to please."

"Indeed you do, quite the entrance as usual, Hatch!"

Hatch and his team turned to face Beska and his men, the usual motley crew of militia and settlement officials. Beska was a simple looking man indistinguishable from the other villagers in attire save for his faded maroon beret. A keepsake from his days working in GnK.

Hatch let his rifle hang as he went to go exchange formalities with the official, grasping the elderly man's worn looking hand in his own. "Please, you always say that." He paused to admire the thick fur coat the official wore over his farmer's clothes. "Well aren't we just looking fresh today? That fur looks awfully familiar _dedushka_."

"Ah you like it? I thought you'd remember that bear I had you kill a while back." Beska smiled causing some of his wrinkles to show. " _Bozhe moy, bohze moy_. Did you shave? You look like a child and yet you call me fresh."

Calico made her way to Hatch's side, ever the second-in-command. "That's what I told him, but he never listens to me."

"As usual. Good to see you, Calico‒girls. Looking as beautiful as ever!" Beska tipped his beret. "I'm sure the children will be thrilled to see you, I heard the market has some interesting things on sale today too. Always a pleasure to see our little guardian angels pay a visit"

The old man gave Dozer a cautious glance. "Friend of yours?"

Calico shrugged. "Yeah, he's family here on a visit. He doesn't say much."

Hatch scoffed as the girls snickered and jeered. "Yeah, something like that." His expression quickly turned serious. "But you know I'm not here for sightseeing and pleasantries, you guys found a lost lamb?"

"Indeed, Sergei and the others have her at the townhall. She has been unharmed and very cooperative."

Hatch rubbed the back of his bald head and whistled. "Color me shocked, he does have a soul."

"So it would seem. Well, let's not keep her waiting. If you would please follow me."

Before the group took off, Hatch had his team split up into two groups. Calico and Dozer would accompany him to meet M4A1, the others would go to the market and see if they couldn't find anything worth haggling.

An easy trip.

Hatch and his dolls were no strangers to the inhabitants of Settlement One. In fact, they had become rather popular in recent months due to their outstanding services. So. it was no surprise that everyone looked rather flabbergasted seeing a large armored behemoth stomping through the muddy roads.

Hatch had caught numerous militiamen instinctively gripping their weapons and he was pretty sure at least a few of them had almost reached for RPGs. Not that they'd live long to fire them off; Dozer's threat matrix would prioritize them first.

After what felt like a lifetime of traversing the rural "streets" of Settlement One, the group finally arrived at the townhall. Or rather, what was called the town hall. It looked more like some old rich family's mansion.

Like the rest of the settlement, the large two-story building had the same lincoln log aesthetic, with picket fences surrounding it. Sandbags piled around windows and in front of the stairs leading to the building's entrance in an attempt to fortify the building. In front sat a small stone statue of some old Russian veteran standing on a tank, likely from one of the old wars.

Hatch couldn't help but feel a certain sense of nostalgia whenever he saw it, the building reminded him of some of the houses back home in the countryside.

Unlike many of the other parts of town, this place also had the highest concentration of militia due to the importance of the building. The town hall served as more of a headquarters of sorts for the militia and inside were rooms filled with old maps and communication equipment.

Hatch took note of the BMP-1 and its dirty looking crew that parked next to the statue and breathed a sigh of relief. Doogan had spent days trying to fix that old relic and if something bad had happened to it, he would raise a mighty stink.

It was also reassuring to have some firepower nearby.

As the group made their way to the building's entrance Hatch put a hand up in front of Dozer. "Dozer, hold in place and wait for further instructions. We don't need your big, stupid ass stomping holes in the floor."

The Aegis turned to face the statue. _**"ORDER RECEIVED, THIS UNIT IS HOLDING IN PLACE."**_

Hatch looked over at the nearby militia with a raised eyebrow. "Hey, I don't recommend any of you getting too close to him, he likes his personal space. You get maybe a four-second countdown warning, after that?"

He clapped his gloved hands together and made the sound of a ripened fruit being smashed. "Splat!"

Satisfied the message got across the commander made his way up the stairs with the rest of the group.

"'Splat?' Really? Of all the things you could say? Splat?" Calico rolled her eyes. "Once again with the appearances."

" _ **SPLAT IS RIGHT, I'LL TEAR A BITCH IN HALF IF THEY GET CLOSE."**_

Hatch ignored the non-existent voice and accompanying headache, choosing to respond to Calico instead through gritted teeth. "Yep, I'm a real charmer."

The doll cocked her head to the side in curiosity. "You okay? You've seemed on edge since this morning."

"Long night, you know how it is." Hatch gave her a playful tap on the shoulder. "You and your friend certainly didn't help any."

Calico stuck her tongue out. "Yeah, whatever."

Upon entering the building Hatch's senses were bombarded with the familiar scent of old lumber and the sound of creaking floorboards. Rugs and old paintings adorned the cramped hallways people had to squeeze around each other to get through. Thankfully, the journey to the meeting room M4A1 was being held in was not far away.

Upon their arrival, Hatch was greeted by Sergei and the rest of his men outside the door leading to the room. Sergei was as stereotypical-looking as a Russian veteran could get: big bushy beard, some old dusty metals on a faded Gorka suit. A single scar ran down over a grayed right eye, a wound from the last war.

The old Russian veteran leaned against the wall with a less than amused expression as he fixed his sky blue beret. "You look like shit, Mikhailovich."

"Uh Huh. At least I don't have a stick up my ass as usual." Hatch pointed a finger. "And you know better than to address me by my middle name."

"Well, you're out here losing dolls and scaring the farmers. You'll have to excuse me if I'm not exactly chipper."

Beska chuckled and put his hands up. "Alright you two, I know you've missed each other, but Hatch doesn't have all day. Sergei, I do believe we had some things of our own to go discuss?"

"Yes, indeed we do." The militia leader gestured for his men to follow in behind him. "Be seeing you, **_Hatch_**."

Hatch stuck a middle finger up. "Hopefully not."

Once the men left Hatch shook his head and stared at the door. "Feels like I'm about to unveil some sort of horror."

"Perhaps, hopefully she doesn't have any screws loose. You know how lost dolls can get." Calico folded her arms. "I'm gonna wait out here and make sure nobody intrudes. Just make sure she's the right one and let's go."

Hatch blew out some air and rolled his shoulders forward. "Alright, let's do this." The commander turned the door's brass knob causing the hinges to creak and whine as he entered the room. Once he was inside, he shut the door behind him and took stock of his surroundings. Hatch had never been in this room before, but judging by the dusty cabinets, long dining table and windows he quickly surmised this had been a dining room in the past. At the end of the table sat M4A1, as quiet as a mouse. The doll's brown eyes remained locked onto Hatch from the moment he entered the room to the time he sat down at the opposite end of the table.

Hatch had been around dolls and robots almost his entire life so he was no stranger to their behavior, but something about this doll seemed off.

The commander put his weapon down on the table and sat back in his chair. "So, you must be M4A1. Leader of AR Team and our missing lamb." He raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you certainly look like her."

Hatch put his hands up and closed his eyes, the throbbing in his head had become unbearable. "Give me a moment please."

He reached into his pouches and pulled out his trusty flask, unscrewing the top off in anticipation for the relief within. Hatch downed the canteen's contents with vigor and sighed. "Ah, that's better than good. Sorry, just needed a quick top off. So, M4A1 right?"

The doll slowly cocked her head to the side and blinked in confusion. Her voice was incredibly soft, softer than the doll Hatch had bought for his mom. "Who are you?"

Hatch returned the flask to its proper place and replaced it with his ID card, of which he handed to M4A1. "Commander Benjamin Hatch, Griffon and Kruyger. I'm in charge of looking out for this sector. S-oh-nine by the way, if you were wondering where you were."

She took the ID then stared at Hatch for a moment, studying his face. "Identity confirmed. Facial recognition matches Griffon and Kruger database."

Hatch blinked. "The fuck? You got whole roster in your head?"

"Something like that." She handed back the ID. "We're in sector oh-nine? I've not heard of that sector."

"Yeah well, we're kinda the ass end of nowhere. Nobody really cares about us." Hatch shrugged for a moment then rested his chin on his hands. "Which is why I'm really surprised you're out here. I mean, you and your team—"

The T-doll jumped out of her chair, causing Hatch to instinctively reach for his weapon. It was as if a switch had been thrown and with it, the doll's entire personality. "My team!? My sisters? Have you seen them? Where are they?!"

"Hey, take it easy." Hatch let go of the pistol grip for his weapon and put his hands up slowly. "We haven't heard anything about their whereabouts. Hell, I had hoped… wait."

Hatch's expression twisted into one of confusion. "You don't know where they are?"

M4A1 looked at the ground in embarrassment. "N-no. We were supposed to meet at predetermined coordinates, but we got cut off in an attack. I've been on the run ever since."

Hatch's brow furrowed, finding her words difficult to believe. Here, standing in front of him was supposed to be this incredibly valuable doll and she lost track of her team. Hatch had been in countless ambushes and terrible situations, but he had never lost accountability of his people. Be they dead or otherwise he always had something to put in the after action report.

The commander could take one look at this doll and tell she wasn't a natural leader. It was painfully obvious from the moment she opened her mouth. Then again, a raging alcoholic was in charge of an entire sector. At least he did his job right.

"Well, that's no good." Hatch nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we got you so that's a start. You're lucky you came here when you did. This area is pretty safe—"

Hatch almost bit his tongue once he heard the words leave his mouth. There was a golden rule in the military, you never tempt fate. If superstition held that dancing on a friday before a training exercise would get everyone killed, you didn't do it. If you were told eating gummy worms next to your Aegis would cause it to go rogue and kill you, you didn't do it. If expecting absolutely nothing to happen would cause everything to go wrong, you didn't get complacent.

In just a few words, he had just broken that rule. Thus, when he started hearing the distant thuds of explosions, his eyes went wide and a pit formed in his stomach. It was like a bad joke, right out of a sitcom.

All that preparing for the worst case scenario was going to be put to the test after all.

No sooner did Hatch get out of his chair, the door to the room flew open revealing a rather irritated-looking Calico. She looked at M4A1. "Friends of yours?"

M4A1 got up out of her chair and defensively put her hand on her chest. "I-I didn't think they could track me this far. I covered my tracks and took every precaution, there's no way they could've found me."

Calico scoffed in agitation. "Well, looks like you mucked it up somewhere along the lines!"

"That's enough." Hatch cut Calico off. The last thing he needed was infighting. "Doesn't matter what the fuck happened. M4, can you still fight?"

The AR team leader unslung her weapon and gave the charging handle a satisfying rack. Her demeanor instantly changed. "Ammo reserves are still in the green."

"And your batteries?"

M4A1 looked at a readout on her watch. "Should be good enough for whatever lies ahead."

"Good. If you want to prove yourself, now's the time to do it." Hatch gave a thumbs up. "Welcome to the team."

She gave a crisp salute with her non-firing hand. "AR team leader, M4A1, ready to move out on your orders, Commander."

Calico only rolled her eyes at the display and followed in behind the pair as they left the room. In the chaos of the hallways, Hatch donned his helmet and got a hold of his eyes in the sky. "Doogz, talk to me! What's going on up there!?"

"To put it bluntly, boss, shit's on the fucking pan now."

"Sangvis?"

"Oh fuck ye. Lotsa' em'.

Hatch and the two dolls made their way down the front steps with haste as they met up with the rest of the echelon. By now the entire town was alive with the sounds of terror. Citizens scattered about the area as they fled into their homes. Militia troops tried to maintain some semblance of order as they waited for orders with nervous eyes. If Dozer cared about anything going on, he wasn't showing it as he slowly continued to scan the immediate area for any threats.

Hatch scoffed. "Okay, 'lotsa em' doesn't explain anything. What are they packing? Formations? Equipment?"

Grizzly immediately interjected. "Standard Sangvis Ferri deployment commander. Guards in the front, Rippers and other assets in the back."

"Size?"

"Looks to be a large force, commander. Possibly company level strength."

"Great. Fucking great. So they _**are**_ here for our lost lamb." Hatch flipped his carbine's safety off. "Alright, I'm gonna get a hold of base and see if we can't get backup. We've got an armed drone on the way too, ETA unknown."

"Right, well whatever you do, boss, you best do it quick. They're using the Dinergates to proof the minefield and they brought a lot of the little bastards." Doogan whistled. " _ **A lot**_. We'll stay on overwatch and do gun runs as best we can. Can't get too cocky, though. Couple of the bastards have been taking potshots at us."

Beska and Sergei flew down the stairs and into the courtyard, both men equally distraught with the current situation. The village leader fixed his coat and looked around nervously."Hatch! What the hell is going on!?"

Hatch started checking his gear. "Sangvis Ferri. Lots of em."

"Here? Why?! There's nothing of value here! Why would they suddenly start rampaging through?!"

Sergei pointed at M4A1. "Her. They're here for her."

Hatch put himself between the doll and the two men and shook his head. "We don't know that, she's just one doll."

"So it just so happens that a doll you've never seen before winds up here one day and Sangvis Ferri just happened to come stomping around with a goddamn army." Sergei shook his head. "No, I think you know exactly what's going on and you're not telling us."

By now some of Sergei's men had started to form up around Hatch and his dolls, their hands on their weapons.

Hatch clenched his fists. "Sergei, you should really reconsider what the fuck it is you're doing. This is not the time for this bullshit."

Beska stepped forward in protest. "Gentlemen, please."

"Bullshit? You know what's bullshit? If she's just one doll, why not give them what they want?! My job is to protect this town and everyone in it, not some fucking non-human walking trash can!" Sergei took a step forward and pointed at M4A1. "Since when did their lives mean more than ours!?"

Hatch moved forward and got face to face with the militia leader.

"Their lives aren't any more or less than ours, but you threaten my girls again and I'll really fucking show you how much they mean to me. These 'trash cans' have been out here helping your people for months now. I don't give a shit if God himself comes down to get one of them, they've earned their right to be protected."

The two men stared at each other for a few moments before Hatch extended a hand. "Now are you going to stop acting like a fucking idiot and help me protect this town?"

Calico smirked and folded her arms. "God, I love it when you get angry."

Sergei looked at the peace offering then back at Hatch before scoffing and clasping it in his own.

" _Davai_ , you old dog."

Hatch and Sergei exchanged a firm handshake with a nod. "Right, now that that's out of the way. I have a plan that'll give our new guests a fucking knock over the head. I need you to help get all these people out of here and out of the town though."

Beska nodded. "I can do that. It may take some time, but if you can hold them back for long enough, I can clear this place out."

"Good, I'll be sure to let GnK higher-ups know this place will need help rebuilding. You have my word your home will remain yours, Beska."

The old village leader tried his best to put on a good face. "I trust you. You and your girls have never let us down before."

Hatch was just about to make a remark when suddenly Kalina's frantic voice came screaming into his ear.

"Commander! Commander, we have a situation!"

"I understand that Kalina, I'm kind of at ground zero. If you'd calm down and work with me here we can get it—"

"I mean here at base! We're under attack!"

* * *

 **S09 BASE**

Kalina and other non-combat personnel watched from the control center as the battle continued outside. The enemy's number seemed to go on indefinitely and there was only but so many dolls still on base. Many had already left their posts to assist the human guards however they could, but there was only so many of them.

For the first time in her career, Kalina actually felt terrified. Battles were meant to be fought far away from her post, not right at her door. Worse yet, Hatch and his dolls were at the frontlines. Taking care of some small recon groups was one thing, an actual battle was another.

He could die out there. Kalina returned her attention to the radio transmission with Hatch.

"Commander, there's a large Sangvis Ferri presence on the compound. They just appeared out of nowhere! The sensors never even tripped!"

"They must have jammed them then, I personally installed those sensors." Michael kicked the Ops center's door in and made his way over to Kalina, flanked on both sides by G36 and Biscuit. "My handiwork isn't sloppy."

He leaned in towards the radio station, its blue glow reflecting off his glasses. "Hatch, I've already contacted Helian. That drone should be here in 20 mikes."

"Good. Well, we could really use all the fucking help we could get. I'm gonna divy up the girls, do a little pick and pull at the enemy. We've got Doogan overhead providing CAS, but he's only got door guns and 49. Dunno how long his fuel is gonna last."

Doogan interjected. "Enough to do flybys between home base and here for maybe half an hour. I ain't gonna leave you lot' on the ground, that's a fuckin' promise."

Michael adjusted his glasses. "One more thing. I don't know if any of you have noticed, but this isn't exactly standard Sangvis Ferri behavior. Even something as a simple two-pronged attack is way over the heads of the standard rank and file."

"So someone or something is on the field coordinating them. Great. So we take out whatever's leading them and they all fall like flies, just like the sims."

"Seems to be the case. Once the drone is overhead, we'll get a better eye on things. Either way, they're not taking this base. I'll handle the defense, you just make sure they don't get M4."

"That was the plan. Keep me informed as the situation changes. I'm heading to the front with the militia to shore up the defenses. We're going to try and thin 'em out on the fields before pulling them into the town. Bastards don't do too well against ambushes. Happy hunting."

Kalina kept the transmission open just a little longer. "Commander!"

"Yeah?"

"Be safe, okay? Come back alive."

"I didn't survive World War 3 to get killed by some stupid bots in some nameless part of shithole Eastern Europe. Hatch, out."

With that the transmission was cut, leaving a worried Kalina to mull over the situation some more. The sound of a charging handle being racked broke her concentration and upon spinning around in her chair, she was greeted with an AK carbine handed to her.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "You know how to use that, right?"

Kalina eyed the weapon before looking back at the engineer. "Yes, I've had self-defense training."

"Good. If anything comes through this door that isn't our own, you shoot it till it stops moving, got it? Aim for the chest. That's where the core usually is."

Michael glanced at G36. "You stay here and help defend this post."

The doll did her usual bow and unslung her assault rifle as Michael spun on his heels back towards the door. " _Ja_ , I will fulfill my duty."

Kalina sat there with a dumbfounded expression. "Where are you going?"

Michael paused at the door's threshold. "Those bastards hit my wifi tower. You just stay here and coordinate."

The engineer and his trusty Dinergate left the room. Kalina held her weapon close and mouthed a silent prayer.

* * *

 **SETTLEMENT ONE**

"Ben! Hostile Nemeums in the open! They're trying to set their guns up!" Hatch's visor was filled with tactical information as Calico relayed the location of hostile armored support.

The commander smacked the BMP's turret he was riding atop of and started pointing off towards the field beyond. "Hey! Hostile firepower! Traverse right!" Hatch braced himself as the BMP's dome-shaped turret jerked in the direction its gunner had been told. "Steady! See those walking turret looking things!? Prioritize them whenever you can!"

The gunner's greasy glove stuck out and gave him a thumbs up before signaling for Hatch to hang on.

Hatch's headset deafened the sound of the BMP's cannon as it lobbed a round at a few of the T shaped walkers, sending pieces of scrap metal in all directions. The last thing Hatch needed were Nemeums turning the town into rubble from afar. Fortunately, they had a long set up time and were incredibly slow on the advance, their tall stature also made them easy to pick out. Hatch mouthed a silent prayer of thanks for the BMP's armor-defeating capabilities. Had it not been there, the situation could have gone far worse.

By now, the minefield and most of the unfortunate Dinergates that had proofed it were gone, leaving the rank and file Sangvis Ferri troops exposed in the open. Easy prey for Hatch's SMG dolls. Every so often, he could see MP40 and Specter quickly darting between cover as they poured fire at any enemy units the handgun dolls designated. Anything they didn't hit was shredded by the Blackhawk's miniguns whenever Doogan did a pass.

49 had also been performing well, of course. Hatch could never really see her handiwork amidst the chaos. The fact nobody had been shot in the head yet probably meant she had been taking care of the Jaegers.

Throughout all of this, M4A1 had been surprisingly quiet, the only times Hatch could ever confirm she was still there was when she sent up information over the radio or passed him some ammo. Why she was such a valuable doll mystified the commander.

" _ **HOSTILE TACTICAL DOLLS IN THE OPEN. ENGAGING."**_ Dozer's visors turned a bright shade of crimson as his machine gun thundered into the enemy masses. Any dolls that were caught in his fire was instantly shredded as the 14.5mm rounds punched through them. Even the shield-toting Guards buckled under the onslaught. Any return fire was useless as energy blasts pinged and fizzled against the military doll's composite armor.

Hatch was no stranger to war, but he still had difficulty understanding his enemy. For whatever reason, the head of Sangvis Ferri had decided that their dolls had to be as scantily clad as possible. The end result was an army of feminine humanoids that looked like they had gotten lost trying to get to a BDSM meeting or a rave. Seeing their half naked forms get torn apart was a strange sight to say the least.

Odd sight or not though, they were still gaining ground through sheer numbers and determination.

Hatch sighted in and popped a few rounds into a Ripper that had been trying to seek cover behind a Giard. A minor dent in the enemy's forces, but at least he was contributing.

M4A1 clambered up the side of the BMP and took position behind the commander, tapping his shoulder. "Commander Hatch, are we ready to egress?"

Hatch tapped the side of his helmet. "Sergei, how's your sector going? Are the civilians out?"

"Da, it is good for now. These bastards are fighting hard, but we are fighting harder. The civilians are still here, many of them are struggling to part with their belongings. And your area?"

"Roger, our sector is more or less the same." Hatch quickly glanced over the defense and sighed. "Casualties have been light, but we're gonna need to pull into the town to hurt these fuckers."

Beska cursed. "Any word on the UAV? If we can hit those damn transponders, this whole attack will crumble immediately."

"Nothing yet, I'll let you know when it's here. Hatch out."

The commander looked back over at M4A1. "There's your answer."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion. "But commander, surely their number has dwindled, perhaps a slow steady egress?"

Hatch snapped back. "Not until all the civilians are evacuated. If we lead them into there now, it's going to be a slaughter. I don't have your data on my HUD either. If I lose you in the chaos, it's gonna be a hell of a tough time finding you." He turned around and pointed at her. " _ **You**_ are my mission, I'm only here for _**you**_. Keeping this town safe is just professional courtesy, the right thing to do."

The doll stood there flabbergasted as if Hatch had spoken to her in a different language. Evidently Calico had seen this exchange, her audible irritation quickly came over the net.

"I don't mean to ruin your special moment or anything, but somethings headed this way and it's fast."

"What?"

Hatch looked over at the field beyond and looked over the data he was now being fed. A large red square hovered over something that was darting between the Sangvis troops. Hatch couldn't make out what it was, but it was moving fast and right towards his current position.

The commander had seen the dossiers for many of the Sangvis Ferri forces. From the humble Dinergates to the massive Hydra walkers, the enemy was made up of an exotic variety of dolls and bots.

None of them matched the profile of this new arrival and as the target got closer many of the militia began pointing, yelling as they tried to mass fire on the figure. Even Dozer was visibly concerned, shifting his fire on the newcomer as he began to yell.

" _ **WARNING! BE ADVISED: UNKNOWN SIGNATURE IN THE AO. THIS UNIT RECOMMENDS IMMEDIATE NEUTRALIZATION."**_

Before Hatch could even give an order, the figure was already up and over the berm, landing atop the BMP causing him to stagger back against M4A1.

Hatch leveled his carbine at the newcomer and steadied his nerves as his mind tried to comprehend what it was he was looking at.

A doll unlike anything he had ever seen and wielding a curved blade as long as she was tall. Long, black hair, sleeveless top, and shorts that showed a flash of synthetic skin before black metal and plastic made up the rest of her legs. A pistol in one hand and a massive claw-like hand in the other, dragging the weapon behind her. Despite the huge sword, she was quick, faster than any Sanvgis Ferri doll he had encountered to this day, and her smile sent shivers down his spine. SF dolls didn't smile like that, not like her.

As rain began to fall, the doll grinned and stared past Hatch, pointing her weapon at M4A1.

"There you are M4!" She sang, excited and eager. "I~ found~ you~!"

The doll hefted her sword up and over her shoulder. "Sangvis Ferri Manufacturing Product No. SP524. Elite Scout Doll 'Executioner'." She leaned forward. "Now the fun really begins."


	7. Curtain Call

**Little heads up. I went back and added some context to the chapter quotes per the request of one of my editors. Expect this new change to continue from here on.**

 **Other besides that, not much to say. I wanted to get this whole scene done so that I could actually focus on my new job and work out adequately allocating time future chapters. Things are gonna be a bit busy these next four weeks, but with future chapters back to the shorter word counts I _should_ be able to work something out. Fingers crossed huh?**

 **Anyways, let's wrap this fight up and move onto the really fun stuff.**

* * *

 **Curtain Call**

" _These days, a good pet can be hard to come by. We at Sangvis Ferri know this better than anyone else, but now that worry is no more! With the new Dingergate line of robotic companion a life long friend is only a purchase away and without all the biological hassles of a real one! Order today! Sangvis Ferri, established 2031."_

-Sangvis Ferri marketing advertisement, pre takeover

 **S09 BASE**

"This is Mozzie, coming in guns hot stay low!"

Mozzie's miniguns roared as the helicopter darted by spitting red hot tracer fire over the hordes of Sangvis dolls trying to make their way to the main compound. Anything caught in their sweeping arcs was immediately torn in half or reduced to mulch in the face of the blistering fire. It was an impressive show of force, but the enemy didn't care how many casualties they sustained nor what opposition they faced.

The helicopter made one more pass before taking off higher into the sky. "Sorry base, gotta head back to the town. All we can do for now, Mozzie out."

Michael fixed his glasses and adjusted the scope for his requisitioned AK. "Understood. We'll hold. Browning out."

The chief engineer kept his head down as he made his way across the compound roof, a few of Hatch's dolls following in behind him as they made their way to defensive positions.

"Echelon Two, shore up that left flank. I want overlapping fields of fire, keep the fast movers at bay. Rifles and handguns continue to designate and engage high priority targets."

Michael ducked back down behind some sandbags as energy fire zipped past the spot his head had just been. The top of the main building provided an excellent vantage point, but it also made for a relatively exposed position.

Zas and Thunder slid into cover alongside Michael before the former fired her grenade launcher up and over the sandbags.

Thunder slipped a round into the back of her heavy caliber handgun before looking at Michael with visible concern. "Where is Benjamin and Calico?"

The engineer took a peek over his cover, slipping back down before anything could notice him.

"Stuck. An enemy unit assaulted their position."

"Are they okay?"

"I don't know."

"We need to help them."

"We will, as soon as we clean this mess up. It's too hot for Doogan to land."

Thunder went to protest further before Zas put a hand on her shoulder. "They will be fine, worry not. The commandant will return to us."

The handgun doll looked down before back over at the enemy beyond. "So we destroy them and we can see Ben and Calico?"

Michael looked at his arm-mounted datapad, staring at the stream of data . "Yes, simple as that."

Thunder's eyes narrowed before the doll got up from behind cover and began firing at anything prioritized as an immediate threat. Her handgun barked over nearby automatic weapons fire and with each retort some unlucky Sangvis doll was shattered by her .50 caliber rounds.

Michael was just about to comment on her simple-minded objective when Springfield's voice came over the net. "Fath-erm. I mean, Mister Browning. I've got something weird on the scope."

"Something weird?"

"Yes, it looks like the dolls are starting to-stop?"

"What the hell?"

Michael peered over the top of the sandbags and sure enough he could see that the enemy attack had begun to slacken. One by one the enemy dolls halted in place and lowered their weapons.

Once the last of the enemy had halted a faint sound began to grow in the distance. At first the defenders couldn't quite make out what it was, but as the noise grew louder it took on a distinct and familiar sound.

It was classical music, something or someone was playing classical music. Michael peered over the top of the sandbags and scoped in over the battlefield in an attempt to find the source of the noise.

He didn't have to look long before a floating figure caught his attention. Michael had to blink twice to confirm what he saw for a moment. The figure was definitely a doll, there was no doubt about that, but her appearance looked almost exactly like Calico. Rather, if Calico had dyed her hair black, donned a face mask and had worn a black music conductors outfit. The not Calico hovered to the front of the enemy formations and took a bow as the music dimmed.

"Good day Griffon Scum. Today, I will be your entertainment. Or rather, you will be entertaining me. Allow me to introduce myself I am Sangvis Ferri Manufacturing Product SP65 'Scarecrow'-"

"And we do not care." Zas quickly interrupted the doll's speech as she ducked out from behind cover and lobbed a grenade at the Sangvis Ferri ringleader, only to raise an eyebrow in confusion at Scarecrow's outstretched hand causing the projectile to explode mid-flight. Zas didn't waste any time as she loaded another round and fired at Scarecrow a second time. Again, the round was intercepted in the same fashion as before.

Scarecrow waited for the smoke to clear before lowering her hand with narrowed eyes. "It's not wise to interrupt a maestro in the middle of her performance. "Now, that I realize I am in the presence of philistines, I must expedite your destruction."

The doll raised her other hand, grasping a baton, and on command, a small group of shapes darted out from behind her. It didn't take long for the defenders to figure out what had happened.

"Micro-drones." Michael sighed. "Of course."

Once again the classical music from previously started up and with it the enemy's assault renewed.

Michael reached up to his earpiece and called out over the radio. "Kalina let Hatch know we are dealing with a Sangvis Ferri ringleader. Identified as 'Scarecrow.'"

"I haven't been able to reach him!"

"What?"

"He's gone dark, I can't reach him. I can get a hold of mainside, but no word from Hatch since the fighting started."

Michael growled over the network. "Figures. What's the word on the drone then?"

"We're not sure yet, there's been complications with it."

Michael wiped some water off his forehead and returned fire on the enemy. "Great, just great."

* * *

 **SETTLEMENT ONE**

Hatch ignored the calls from base as Executioner stared him and M4 down. The Sangvis Ferri ringleader chuckled, hefting her blade.

"Look at you, frozen with fear are we? Worry not, this will be a short..possibly painless death." She turned her head over to M4. "For them anyways, you on the other hand? I'll try to ensure I won't dismantle you too much."

Throughout Executioner's monologue not once had she considered that the crew of the BMP was anything but thrilled to have what looked like a demon atop their vehicle. Something Hatch was all too aware of.

"Run the bitch over!"

Executioner was barely able to register a look of confusion before she was violently sent tumbling down the front of the vehicle courtesy of the BMP suddenly jerking. Once the would-be hijacker was off the vehicle gunned it forward in an attempt to crush her beneath the tracks.

Hatch quickly slung his weapon and pushed M4 off the back of the vehicle and onto the wet mud, joining her soon after, this was not a fight he wanted here. After quickly getting the stunned doll to her feet he pointed back towards the town.

"Everyone fall back, into the town!"

Chaos broke out among the ranks as militia troops began wildly running every which way in an attempt to get out of dodge. A few braver men lagged behind in an attempt to provide cover for their fleeing comrades, but were quickly cut down by Sangvis dolls who had now reached the defensive position.

Hatch had just started his egress back with the dolls when the deafening sound of grinding tracks being pushed to their limit filled his ears. The BMP's tracks kicked mud up as they tried to move the vehicle past an obstacle holding it in place. After a few seconds a large audible "clang" rang out and the tracks immediately stopped thereafter. Whatever was going on had the BMP' crew spooked and they spared no time in trying to clamber out of hatches. The crewmen never even fully made it out of the vehicle before it violently shook apart from within as a shockwave bisected the vehicle. Pieces of scrap metal and the crew went flying every which way as both sides of the vehicle were separated and sent toppling to either side.

"I hate being interrupted!"

Hatch and the dolls spared no time in trying to piece together exactly what had happened and immediately began pouring fire at the BMP's semi mud covered killer who was now confidently striding through the wreckage.

Executioner began dodging and deflecting gunfire with her sword as she rapidly began to close the gap with a predatory look in her eyes. "I was going to give you all a somewhat honorable death, but now I'm going to squash you like the insects you are!"

Calico had been reloading her weapon when suddenly she noticed Executioner's trajectory shift from M4 to someone else. "Ben, look out!"

Before he knew it Hatch was hoisted into the air, a cold metallic hand gripping his neck. He started gasping for air as slender fingers closed on his windpipe. "Starting with you, human."

Dolls frantically changed their positions in an attempt to get a clean shot on Executioner without endangering their commander. Hatch sputtered and gagged as his vision got cloudy, he had to think fast. He quickly let go of his weapon, buried one his boots into Executioner's shin, reached for his hatchet and in one fluid motion brought it down on the doll's arm.

The ring leader registered a look of surprise for a few moments before chuckling with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

" _ **MELEE MODE ENGAGED."**_

Dozer immediately dropped his weapon and charged the Sangvis ring leader, closing the gap with an incredible amount of speed. Executioner barely had time to let out a swear before the Aegis was on her, burying his fist into the side of her head. The ringleader's cheeks rippled with sheer concussive force as she dropped Hatch to the ground and was sent yelling through the air into a nearby shed.

Satisfied the threat was out of the way, Dozer deployed his shield and extended a gauntlet to Hatch. " _ **TARGET INCAPACITATED."**_

"Y-yeah I can see that." Hatch grabbed his bot's hand and hoisted himself up.

"Yeah, no thanks to Miss Super Doll!" Calico shot an accusatory glare at M4 and pointed a finger. "Didn't even try to move."

The AR team leader shrugged. "There wasn't a proper angle, I predicted a 99% percent probability of a fatality if I had tried to engage Executioner. By the time I had finished my algorithm the Aegis was already upon her."

"Bullshit, for a doll that's so special she sure doesn't seem like it. She's not doing anything better than we are!"

Nagant Revolver brushed some grime off her Ushanka before putting a hand up. "Squad leader Calico, perhaps you're being a bit harsh? I couldn't see any proper attack angles either it was the commander's quick thinking that prevailed. We are thankful to have big brother Dozer with us."

Hatch coughed for a few moments as he tried to catch his breath. "Calico lay off it, now's not the fucking time!"

Hatch raised a hand to his earpiece as the team began to egress back occasionally pausing to stemmy back the tide of Sangvis dolls that was starting to make its way in after them.

"Sergei what's going on?! Are the civilians out yet?!"

There was a momentary pause before the militia leader answered back in kind. " _Nyet_! The evacuation is proceeding slower than anticipated and it looks like the enemy is redoubling their efforts what's going on?!"

Hatch swore under his breath. "Our perimeter's been overrun we're falling back into the town! They got a goddamn ringleader with them!"

"A what?"

"A ringleader! Stronger command and control doll that leads forces from the field. She damn near choked me to death."

" _ **Cyka!**_ We can't let them in the town!"

Calico paused from engaging some plucky Dinergates that had tried to chase after the group. "Ben, that signal from before looks like it's reactivating. Our friend's gonna be up and at us any minute now!"

"Fuck!" Hatch stomped his foot as he tried to formulate a plan.

"Commander Hatch, if I may. I've been formulating a plan that I have reasonable confidence in if you'd like to hear it."

Hatch didn't have time to figure out why a doll was capable of creating a strategy on her own. If this doll was truly as special as she was advertised to be anything was possible.

"Okay, send it."

"The enemy is after me, specifically, Executioner is. The rest of the team is better suited to aiding with the evacuation. Between you, me, and your Aegis we stand a reasonable chance of success against her."

Calico shook her head. "Absolutely not, I am not leaving Ben's life in your hands. Dozer is one thing, but I don't trust you."

"You don't have to, I am merely suggesting the idea to the commander."

Hatch chewed on the idea for a few moments before sighing. "Fine we'll go with that idea."

Calico and the other dolls went to protest. "Commander! You can't be serious!"

"I am dead serious and my decision is final. You saw what the ringleader could do, I am not putting any of you at risk. That's a level of strength you're not at yet. Between us three and the militia we'll keep her and the other forces distracted long enough for you to get the collateral out."

"And what about you? You're only flesh and blood! What the hell do I tell Thunder when you get cleaved in half?!"

"Calico it's not up for fucking debate." Hatch looked at Calico and even from behind his enclosed mask the doll could tell he was staring into her eyes. "Just do as I said okay?"

The handgun doll grit her teeth before closing her eyes in defeat. "Fine..Echelon 1, you heard him. Move out."

As the rest of the dolls started to dart off, Calico paused and communicated to Hatch via closed off channel. "Ben, please be careful okay?"

"I will my muse. We'll be back with Thunder and relaxing before you know it."

"We better."

With the others gone Hatch looked at Dozer and M4 and nodded as he slapped a fresh magazine into his weapon. "Right then, let's go"

" _ **DON'T FORGET TO TOP OFF BENJY. YOU'RE LOOKING A LITTLE..PECKISH."**_

Hatch did his best to ignore the withdrawal symptoms as he reached out to base. "Base this is Hatch, we're still alive, but the situation has gone from bad to worse. We got a goddamn ring leader here!"

"A ringleader? Another one?!"

Hatch looked at M4 with a look of utter confusion. "What do you mean another one?"

* * *

 **GNK MAIN BASE**

The ops center was bustling with activity as interns and logistics personnel rushed between consoles and desks. It was always this way, someone had to manage all the commanders and other clientele. Today was a special day, however. Helian was present and that meant something important was going on. Everyone gave her a wide berth as she paced to and fro between logistics personnel assigned to whatever task she had given them.

Helian furrowed her brow as she watched the drone's camera feed from behind the operator's terminal her foot tapping growing ever faster.

"What the hell is taking so long?"

"Sorry ma'am we've been having issues with the Predators for a while now. With so little downtime between missions we haven't been able to properly service them and that's not including the bad weather-"

"I don't need excuses! How much longer till we're on station?!"

"ETA, 15 minutes."

"For god's sakes! They'll likely be dead by then!" Helian groaned and rubbed her sleep deprived eyes. This was supposed to be a simple day, get the AR team doll and bring her back. She should've known better, there was no way Sangvis Ferri wasn't tracking AR team down after their botched mission.

An officer looked up from behind his computer monitor and waved his hand. "Ma'am! There's a personal call for you, high priority!"

Helian nodded and pressed a hand to her earpiece. "Send it through."

"Helian, where is M4?"

The senior officer rolled her eyes, the last thing she needed was _**her**_ nagging. "I told you, there's been a complication. Sangvis forces including a ringleader have staged a surprise attack and are making extraction quite difficult."

"Oh, oh dear. You didn't mention ringleaders that's not good. Nothing M4 can't handle, but still quite the nuisance. No doubt Browning is preparing the device, such a smart pupil of mine."

"First of all, I did. You've just been too caffeine deprived to remember. Secondly, the ringleader isn't attacking Hatch and M4 she's currently attacking base S09."

There was a moment of silence before the voice came back. "That's not possible her number one priority would be M4. That's always been _**their**_ priority, unless."

Helian raised an eyebrow. "Unless?"

"Unless that attack is merely a diversion to break Hatch's forces in two. Which would mean there's probably another one who's leading a separate attack to get M4."

Helian grit her teeth. "Pray your hunch is wrong."

"My 'hunches' are almost never wrong Helian." There was an audible sigh on the other end. "You are sure she's with Commander Hatch?"

"Yes, yes she is."

"Good, the data provided from working alongside a human commander should be most useful. I will want to examine it in the fullest later. Do set a time for us to travel out there."

Helian went to protest but was immediately cut off leaving her to groan in frustration. She quickly returned her attention to the situation at hand and changed channels on a nearby radio terminal.

"Kalina!? Are you still there?"

There was nothing over the radio save for the sounds of gunshots, explosions, and what sounded like frantic classical music for a few moments before the adjutant's voice took over."

"Y-yes Ma'am we're still here."

Helian breathed a sigh of relief, at least they were still alive. "What's the situation?"

"Right now Michael and the rest of our echelons are doing their best to hold the enemy back, we could really use some help though."

"And help is on the way, ETA 15 minutes. What of Hatch? Is he back with the doll? Are they okay?"

"N-no. We just got word from him not too long ago, they're fine but it looks like." Kalina gulped. "There's another ringleader and she's hot on his heels."

"Damnit, of course!" Helian slammed her fist on a nearby console causing it to fizz for a few moments and spook some nearby interns as well.

"Ma'am?"

Helian closed her eyes as she started to formulate plans. "Nothing, just. Just hang in there Kalina, help is on the way."

"Y-yes ma'am, S09 base out."

Once the transmission was cut Helian looked around the room and raised her voice. "I want every available asset on the horn _**now**_. If we have any commanders with nothing better to do tell them to get their teams on standby!"

Nobody dared to question the order as personnel began scrambling to carry it out. Exhausted from the stress, Helian sat down on a nearby chair and continued to watch the drone feed with concern.

"Damn it, damn it all."

* * *

 **SETTLEMENT ONE**

Hatch was no stranger to fighting in hellish conditions and against insurmountable odds, but it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous knowing a Sangvis Ferri kill bot was somewhere in the chaos stricken down.

Militia darted around as they swapped between trying to save civilians and protect their home from the encroaching dolls. For what it was worth they were putting up a good fight and Hatch made a mental note to recruit some of them later on, no doubt he had lost personnel back at base.

M4 paused from running and in one fluid motion spun in place engaging and destroying multiple Sangvis drones that had gotten too close. Satisfied, she quickly continued on alongside Hatch and Dozer. "Commander Hatch, our current route will take us to the town hall. A wise decision it will make for a good defensive location."

Hatch continued to run, doing his best to control his breathing. "How'd you know that?"

M4 nodded. "Cause that is exactly what I would do‒get down!" The doll's eyes went wide as she dived forward, taking Hatch down with her on top to the ground.

No sooner had she done so, the wall to a nearby house they were passing erupted in a shower of wood splinters. A large blade occupied the empty air the pair had just been and as they got up to try and reorient themselves Executioner's voice yelled out.

"Griffon Scum!"

The ringleader went for a second swing only to curse loudly as her blade clanged off Dozer's shield. The two dolls braced against one another each trying to overpower the other over the sound of grinding metal. Not sparing any time for pleasantries Dozer brought his right fist up for another blow only to stare at it in confusion as it slammed into Executioner's.

The ringleader chuckled as she locked hands with the military bot. "You're not the only one who works out tin can!"

However, her confident smirk soon melted into confusion and shock as she felt herself lose ground. Her knees bent to the military-grade doll's superior strength, her arms pushed back and her hands crushed under its grip. Frantic, Executioner brought a boot up and into Dozer's chest, kicking the doll away before she could be overwhelmed. Dozer kicked up dirt and mud as the doll skid across the ground, coming to a stop as it cratered into an adjacent building.

"I don't know what ill wind blew you here tin can, but that will not happen again!"

Executioner grimaced as M4 and Hatch opened fire on her while backpedaling, a fruitless endeavor as the rin leader was able to dodge or otherwise deflect most of the shots.

"I've had about enough of this game, enough playing." Executioner dashed to the side and darted forward towards the pair bringing her sword arm wide for a swing. She made it about halfway before getting knocked to the dirt as an oven impacted her.

Hatch and M4 looked at the direction where the kitchen appliance came from and sighed in relief as Dozer clambered out of the house he was thrown into. The military bot looked at Executioner's motionless body for a few moments.

" _ **HOSTILE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIGNS OF RESISTANCE."**_

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me!" Hatch raised his weapon up as Executioner quickly sprung to her feet, a look of utter malice in her eyes.

"Enough! You are, all of you, beneath me-"

"Mikhail! get down!"

Hatch grabbed M4 and brought her to the ground, sheltering her with his body as he heard the _pop_ of an RPG being fired. Executioner had just finished yet another monologue when the rocket collided, drowning her in a small fireball.

Satisfied the coast was clear, Hatch slowly raised his head and looked around before helping M4 to her feet. "Guess we're even now?"

The doll cocked her head to the side in curiosity. "You didn't have to. I would've been fine, dolls are a lot sturdier than humans." She looked down embarrassed. "No offense."

"Not a risk I was willing to take. I would've done it for anyone, doll or not. You're my mission remember?"

Hatch dusted himself off and looked towards where he had heard the RPG fired from. "Sergei, you're actually a sight for sore eyes."

The militia leader made his way over and shouldered his still smoking launcher, flanked on either side by men who looked just as battle hardened as he was.

"I was in the neighborhood. What the hell was that thing? The ringleader?"

Hatch looked over at the flaming wreckage where Executioner had been. "Yeah, not something we want to linger around. C'mon let's go, we're heading to the town hall."

Sergei raised an eyebrow. "I hit the bitch dead on no way she survived that."

M4 shook her head. "No, her signal is weak but not dead and the other dolls in the area haven't stopped fighting."

"Precisely the reason why we should leave, time's a wastin' let's go!" Hatch pointed towards the direction the town hall was in prompting everyone to follow him.

Had anyone looked back they would've noticed the rubble near Executioner was starting to move.

* * *

 **FORESTS OF S09**

Out of sight and out of mind Biscuit hurried on its way to carry out the important task its handler had given it. The Dinergate was easily concealed under the shadow of dense foliage and the IFF scrambler Michael had planted ensured no lingering Sangvis Ferri patrols could easily detect it. To them, its signature might as well have been that of passing wildlife.

Biscuit darted around trees and under brushes as fast as its pointed legs could carry it, occasionally pausing to stay out of effective scanner range of enemy bots. True, the scrambler would jam Biscuit's signal, but should the bot get too close there was a likelihood of failure.

The diminutive bot scanned around with its singular lens until finally, a large signature caught its attention, the task it had been given. After a few minutes of quietly stalking through some dense bush, the bot came upon a small forest clearing. At the center of it, and guarded by an incredibly large amount of Sangvis Ferri forces, sat a large wire covered tower.

A relay tower, the source for all the command and control any local Sangvis Ferri forces received. Should that get destroyed all of the normal bots would immediately cease their functions.

Biscuit zoomed in on the tower and scanned over it a few more seconds before chirping a series of text prompts over to its handler via encrypted channel.

"Biscuit, you found it?"

"AFFIRMATIVE. AWAITING 'GOOD BOY' COMMENDATION."

"Yep, I see it now. Good boy, come on back home."

"OUTCOME: SATISFACTORY. THIS UNIT IS A 'GOOD BOY'. SATISFACTORY."

Biscuit sent a number of smiley face emojis and simulated dog barks before closing the channel. With the same diligence as before the dinergate slowly backed away from the enemy forces. Once it was at a safe distance it turned around and darted back to base.

Soon the fight would be over and it would enjoy the company of its handler once more.

* * *

 **SO9 BASE**

Michael quickly looked over the data Biscuit had given him and changed the channel to the one Helian was on.

"Mainside this is Browning. Sending coordinates for the relay tower now."

"Copy that, we're receiving them now. We're in the battle space now hang tight this will be over soon."

"Roger, Browning out."

The engineer ended the transmission and looked over at the other defenders manning the roof. By now many of the other dolls had received damage of some sort. G41 had lost an ear and many of the other dolls including had lost some sort of limb. A few others had tried to directly engage Scarecrow and found themselves even worse off. Michael sighed, it would be a long night of repairs.

Yet all of the dolls still fought on as best they could; for their home, one another, and more importantly for their commander. Wherever he was.

"Girls, help is on the way. Drone's in the airspace now. It'll take care of that relay tower and then?" He pointed down at Scarecrow. "We take her alive, I don't care how many pieces she's in. Long as that core is intact got me?"

A few of the angrier dolls simply nodded and returned fire with renewed vigor, pouring everything they had at the ringleader and the hordes of other dolls below.

Michael changed channels as he continued to assist in the defense. "Hatch, it's Browning. We found the relay tower drone's about to take it out soon. How are you holding up?"

There were a few moments of silence over the net before Hatch's voice came over the net. Even through the channel Michael could tell the situation there was dire.

"Not good! We're making a last stand at the town hall, these bastards just keep coming! Half of the militia are dead. Mozzie's out of ammo and my girls are starting to get beat up!"

"Is M4 okay? What's the status of the ringleader?"

"Oh she's fan fuckin' tastic! A real natural, too bad that ringleader isn't dead yet. We're not gonna last much longer if that tower doesn't get taken down!"

Michael clenched a fist, time was running out. "Alright, just hang in there. This'll be over soon."

"Yeah, for them or us? Hatch out!"

Michael shook his head as the call was ended, a gesture that caught the attention of a beat up looking Thunder. Despite missing an arm and being completely drenched like everyone else, the doll didn't seem any less determined than she was before.

"Are Ben and Calico, okay?"

"For now, yes. We need to end this _**now**_."

The doll flipped the back of her hand cannon to the side dropping an empty brass casing. "Please reload me that I might assist in ending this quickly."

"But you're missing an arm. Your already slow rate of fire is severely compromised Thunder." Michael grimaced. "Keeping you at the front wouldn't be of any assistance."

"Please. I wish to see them again very soon."

Michael sighed before reaching into one of the doll's pouches on her chest rig and slid another round into the back of her weapon. "There, you're all good. You need more you just let me know."

Satisfied, the doll flicked her weapon's chamber shut. "Thank you father, I will not let you down." She then got up over the sandbags and fired, knocking one of Scarecrow's drones out of the air.

"And don't call me father."

* * *

 **SETTLEMENT ONE**

Hatch took cover beside Calico and M4 and reloaded his looted AK. He had long ran out of ammo for his M4 and as much as he despised the Russian weapon now was not the time for beggars to be choosers.

"Have you seen her yet?"

M4 continued to plink away at targets of opportunity her weapon on semi-auto to avoid wasting precious ammo. "No, but she's close. I can tell."

"Well that's great, is she taking her time? Letting the trash whittle us down before she swoops in?" Calico paused from tying a tourniquet around her arm to stop a coolant leak. "What a badass, a real ringleader if I've ever met one."

"Spare me the theatrics Calico. How are the girls?" Hatch glanced over at the disheveled dolls slumped against each other by the statue. Nagant Revolver crouched near them providing what cover she could. "They gonna be fine?"

"MP40 and Spectre put forth all they had this fight. They're out of ammo, in need of repairs, and out of juice. I had to put them into hibernation mode just to get them to stop trying to play decoy."

Hatch nodded. "We'll be sure to get them first in the chute for repairs."

Calico scoffed as she opened fire on some Vespids that had tried to maneuver into firing range each of her rounds punching through their enclosed helmets. "If we survive that long."

Sergei had been busy coordinating some RPG teams when he heard the doll's doubt in her voice. "We will survive this is our home damnit! If we die, we die standing!"

This heroic display put fire into the militia, but did little for the commander and his dolls. They knew better.

Hatch leaned out from behind cover and took out a few Rippers that were getting uncomfortably close. "Yeah real heroic, but not exactly on my list of things to do!"

Then, everything stopped. Sangvis dolls of all types suddenly halted in place and lowered their weapons. Even the rain stopped as time seemed to come to a halt.

Everyone exchanged confused glances unsure of what to do. One minute they had been fighting for their lives and the next, nothing.

One of the militia troops got up and raised his rifle over his head. "Do you see!? We are victorious! The bots have stopped, they're malfunctioning!"

Applause broke out among the men until M4 got up on her feet and glared at the center of the enemy masses. "No, they're all still very active. They were ordered to stand down."

Another defender, a boy who barely looked old enough to drink, lowered his hoodie with a nervous expression. "What? What do you mean they were ordered?!"

M4 pointed to mass beyond. "It's her, she's coming. She wants to savor this last fight on her own."

"Her?" Sergei nervously loaded a grenade into his AK's underbarrel launcher. "The bitch from before?"

"Yes."

One of Sergei's bodyguards shook his head in disbelief. "Surely she can't take on all of us. She's gotta be crippled by now."

M4 stood unflinching. "No, she can. I've seen what she can do."

Hatch got up and cracked his neck. "Revolver, go. Get the other two into the building."

The handgun doll wanted to protest, but she knew this was no time to be stubborn. "... _Da_ commander, I will get them to safety."

Doogan's Blackhawk circled overhead in a holding pattern it's crew monitoring the situation from up high. "Boss what the hell's going on down there?! Did mainside get that relay tower?"

Hatch put a finger to the side of his helmet. "No, the ringleader wants to take us down personally. How are you looking on fuel?"

"Enough to end this boss. We're not going anywhere, not with your crack shot on board."

FN49 chimed in over the radio in agreement. "I w-won't leave you or my sisters behind commander. I promise."

"I know you won't." Hatch gave a lazy smile. "I know."

The commander popped his helmet off for a moment, savoring the cold fresh air against his sweaty skin. By now his head had been throbbing something fierce and his body ached for the sweet release of what it was addicted to. Hatch reached for his flask noting the low amount of fluid in the metal container before knocking back his final swig.

" _ **GOOD, YOU'LL BE NEEDING THAT."**_ Dozer took up a position in front of his commander, lowering his shield slightly to provide cover. _**"LET'S END THIS BITCH TOGETHER SO WE CAN GO HOME."**_

Once again, Hatch ignored the non-existent voice as he put his helmet back on. Now wasn't the time to be acting like a loon.

"She's here."

As if to confirm Calico's statement Executioner promptly leaped through the air and landed in front of her forces, kneeling on the ground for a while before slowing rising up. Unlike before the doll was not unscathed. This time she was lacking an arm and tears in her synthskin exposed circuitry from within her body.

The ringleader pointed her sword at the defenders with hate filled eyes."Do you know why they call me Executioner?"

Calico scoffed. "Dunno how you earned it. We're still alive."

"Your banter is as weak as those feeble frames you call bodies." The ringleader spat on the ground. "They call me Executioner because once I'm given a target I do not stop, I do not relent until the life of that target is squeezed out by my hands. A reputation that has remained untarnished for quite some time."

"Until now. Yeah? Maybe 'pain in the ass' is a better title." Calico aimed her weapon at the ringleader. "Seems we've tripped a circuit."

"Oh you've done more than that. When I'm done here this entire village will be ash. I will destroy everything, kill every last man woman and child. You will be nothing not even a memory."

Executioner pointed at M4. "And you? I was supposed to deliver you in one piece, but now I'm thinking a core alone is all my superior requires."

"You're not taking a damn thing. She's coming home with me." Hatch put himself between M4 and Executioner, prompting Dozer to do the same. "So why don't you take your rag tag bunch of BDSM bots and _**fuck**_ off!"

M4's mouth slowly went agape. "Commander Hatch?"

"And you, annoying human. The one who hides behind his helmet and walking trash can." Executioner hefted her sword over her shoulder. "Amuse me, take the helmet off that I might savor your look of terror as I snuff the life out of you."

"Last I checked, my 'walking trash can' kicked your ass not once, but twice." Hatch shook his head. "But you know what? I'll play your stupid little game so you can see the face of the 'annoying human' who beats you."

The commander took his helmet off and fastened it to his side. Theatrics could often be a tactical benefit in their own right.

Executioner began pacing side to side as she sized the commander up. "Your brave, I'll give you that. Foolish, but brave. I admire that, maybe I'll make you my pet when this is done. A reminder of what happens when you cross us."

"Sorry's he taken. Go find another." Calico took up position by her commander's side. "The only thing you're gonna be leaving with is an ass kicking."

The ringleader stopped pacing and smiled. "Oh we'll see about tha-"

"Enough talk she witch! Get on with it!" Sergei fired his grenade launcher, cutting the ringleader off and prompting his men to open fire.

Executioner dodged the projectile, letting it crash against her dormant forces behind her. "This time I'll be sure to take care of the appetizers before the main course." The Ringleader promptly planted her blade in the ground and sent forth the same shockwave that destroyed the BMP.

Hatch and the two female dolls dodged, but Dozer stood his ground and planted his shield taking the brunt of the shockwave. For a moment it seemed the military doll would prevail, but the intensity of the attack was more than Dozer's frame could bear. The doll was sent flying into the town statue causing a few nearby militia troops to get thrown into the air.

With the military doll incapacitated Executioner immediately leaped into the thick of the militia. Men panicked as they tried to dodge lightning fast sword swings, but they weren't fast enough. Limbs flew through the air and clumsy melee strikes easily parried as Executioner tore through them.

One man tried to fire his RPG only to watch in horror as the doll cut the warhead in half and promptly skewered him on her blade.

Sergei could only stand there and watch as his men were cut into pieces. Men he had trained with and worked alongside together in the fields. Sons and fathers who would never see their loved ones again.

All because of that GnK doll.

As Executioner cut her way closer and closer Sergei regretted that he hadn't defied Hatch earlier. If only they had just given that doll away good men wouldn't have had to die.

The ringleader was just about to cut down the militia leader and the last of his men when suddenly she cried out in agitation as rounds impacted her back.

"You forget about us!?"

Hatch and the other dolls spaced out as they tried to hit the ringleader on all sides.

Executioner spun on her heels and darted towards the trio. "Never, in fact, I was just making my way to you!"

Calico quickly slammed her last magazine in and fired at the ringleader in an attempt to draw her off. "Ben, she's moving on you!"

M4's looked at her weapon in shock as it ceased firing, the doll promptly flipping it onto its side as she tried to diagnose the issue. "No, not now!"

Doogan's blackhawk darted around as its marksman tried to get a bead on the target. "I-I she's too fast! I can't get a bead at all!"

Hatch slowly backpedaled and fired as the doll got closer and closer. When he ran dry for his AK he chucked the weapon at the doll and quickly transitioned to his sidearm and hatchet.

Executioner's smile grew wider as she cut the discarded weapon in half and darted left to right. "Here I come human!"

Hatch did his best to remain calm as he rapidly let off a series of shots with his sidearm, shifting his fire in an attempt to find some sort of pattern in the doll's irregular movements. By some stroke of luck, a few shots actually connected, grazing Executioner's cheek and burying into her gut.

Agitating as they were they did little to stop the doll's assault and in moments she was moving her sword arm up for a swing. Hatch felt himself lose his footing in the mud and began to trip backward as the blade got ever closer to his chest.

The last thing that went through the commander's mind before the burst of extreme pain was the promise to his mother he was likely about to break. Pain shot up from his abdomen to his chest as the tip of the massive weapon moved its way up cutting through armor plating, fabric and then flesh leaving a deep gash in the commander's body.

Hatch's world got blurry and he almost couldn't hear Calico's enraged screaming as his back impacted the mud, his destroyed gear flying off his body and leaving him partially exposed on the ground.

He was no stranger to pain, but this was something else. Whatever that blade was made of made his chest feel like it was on fire and the commander grit his teeth as he growled in pain. If he was going to die here he wouldn't give the doll the satisfaction of hearing him scream. All the same, the mixture of pain and exhaustion was starting to take its toll on his body. In seconds the commander felt his vision getting blurry as he fought to stay awake.

Executioner barely had time to gloat over her victory when Calico came running at her, putting round after round into her frame and screaming all the while. The ringleader recoiled with each impact as she turned to face the new adversary.

"How very bold! Just like your commander, fine then. You can join him!"

Executioner darted forward to meet Calico halfway and the melee began. Calico did her best to dodge sword swings as she continued to fire at the ringleader. For the first time, Executioner had to actually try and hit her target. A difficult task considering the speed that came with handgun model dolls and the anger fueling Calico's movements.

As fast as Calico was, Executioner was faster, and eventually the handgun model doll found herself losing equal ground. Before Calico could properly adjust she saw her right hand spinning through the air still gripping her weapon. It all happened so fast her onboard vital monitors didn't have time to issue a pain stimulant.

Now without a means to fight back, Calico found herself staring at the tip of Executioner's sword.

"Checkmate, Griffon trash. An impressive display, but as ever, victory goes to the strong." Executioner smiled. "A shame considering all the bluster you had before, no sly remarks now?"

Calico spat some coolant in Executioner's face."Fuck you."

Executioner said nothing as she brought her blade low and cut the doll's legs off, forcing Calico to the ground and planting a boot in her neck.

"You've been the most annoying so far. So it stands to reason that I should just destroy you first."

Calico grasped at the boot with her functional hand and glared at the ringleader as she felt the pressure increase on her neck. Executioner smiled as she dug her boot deeper into the doll's neck, savoring the pain she was bringing.

Hatch raised mustered the strength to take aim and fire off a few shots with his sidearm, but the shots went wild and failed to hit the ringleader. Executioner ignored the feeble resistance and continued to torture Calico.

"Hey, I'm still here you know."

Executioner paused from her torture and looked over at M4, the AR doll stood by the rubble of the wrecked statue Dozer's motionless body was buried under. "Did you forget I was here? This fight isn't over."

"Oh?" Executioner stepped off Calico and ignored the handgun doll's slow crawl over to her commander. "With what ammo? There's no way you have enough for me."

M4 raised an eyebrow. "You want to test that theory?"

"Sure I do."

Executioner planted her blade into the ground and smirked. "Fine then, let's end this. The master is likely getting impatient and I'm sure my comrade is just wiping off the crumbs back at your friend's base."

M4 beckoned the ringleader. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Ignorance is bliss." With the same speed and zeal as before Executioner darted towards the AR team leader dodging and deflecting the rounds sent her way. "That's not gonna work! You're slow Griffon Trash!"

M4 slowly backpedaled up the rubble. "Less talk more fight."

Executioner smirked as she ran up the rubble towards the AR team leader and brought her sword up high. "This is it, game over!"

"Yes, it is, for you."

"What?!"

Before Executioner had time to get an answer, a number of things happened all at. First, her sword hand was shot sending the blade flying out of her grip. As that happened a deep voice bellowed from beneath her and with it a large metal gauntlet reached up and grabbed her by the neck.

" _ **ELIMINATING THREAT TO OPERATOR."**_

The Aegis was still very much functional and as it slowly raised out of the rubble Executioner could only look on in shock. Her last attack had done nothing but dent the shield slightly.

Hatch coughed and sputtered as Calico tended to his wounds. "Dozer! Dismantle the bitch!"

" _ **ORDER RECEIVED, BEGINNING DISMANTLING OF HOSTILE DOLL."**_

Executioner looked at M4 then back at the doll as a feeling she had never experienced before slowly crept over her, fear. She had been duped into a trap and now she was about to experience her very first defeat.

The Aegis promptly dropped its shield and brought another gauntlet to executioner's sword arm.

It looked at the arm for a moment before promptly yanking it out of its socket and discarding it.

Executioner screamed in rage and flailed her remaining limbs. "Put me down, put me down now!" The ringleader looked back at her forces in expectation of reinforcement only to experience further dread as they began to topple over one by one. They wouldn't respond to her signal, something had knocked the tower out.

As if to confirm her suspicions a Predator drone quickly zoomed by in the sky launching its remaining payload at any Sangvis Forces still in the open.

"I told you it was over." M4 slung her weapon. "And now you're going to be torn apart like the trash you keep calling us."

"No! I never lose!" Executioner trashed around wildly a display that only seemed to piss Dozer off as the doll began slamming her into the ground repeatedly, smashing off bits and pieces of her in the process.

As Executioner's vision sensors began to static she called out to her comrade over close comms. "Scarecrow!? Scarecrow you idiot! Where are you?! I need assistance!"

Nothing, only silence.

"Scarecrow?!"

After some more silence the doll finally got a response, just not the one she was hoping for. "Oh yeah, hi. This is Chief Engineer Michael Browning of S09 base. Your friend is a little indisposed right now. She's fine, no need to worry. As for you? Well, I'm not so sure."

As the transmission was dropped Executioner could only flail further as Dozer continued to smash her apart.

* * *

 **S09 BASE**

"Impossible, my calculations are never wrong. My performance was stellar, how? How did I lose?"

A defeated Scarecrow looked up at Michael and the tattered dolls that flanked him on either side with utter contempt. "How could I be beaten by the likes of you?"

"Shit happens." Michael shrugged. "Looks like your math was wrong."

A91 staggered around for a bit before taking a sip from her flask and twirling a knife in her hand. "Hah, you got beaten by a drunk~"

Scarecrow reached around and delicately touched the small device protruding from the back of her head. "And this device, what did you put in me?"

Michael fixed his glasses. "Oh, just a little something that'll stop you from heading back to your superiors via cloud data."

Scarecrow fussed with the device before Michael shook his head. "You mess with it and the only place your data will go is in a recycle bin."

The ringleader glared at her captors before closing her eyes in defeat.

"Glad you could see it our way." Michael clapped his hands. "Alright girls, take her to confinement."

G41 stomped up with a frown and pointed at her remaining ear. "She messed up my commander's favorite ears! How will I get head pats now!?"

The doll reached down and yanked Scarecrow's face mask off, eliciting a few shocked reactions at both the action itself and Scarecrow's face. The ringleader really did look like a darker version of Calico.

G41 crossed her arms with a look of satisfaction before stomping off. Michael sighed and shook his head. "Right, now that we've all had our fill. Can we take our guest off to the holding area?"

As the ringleader was carried off Michael brought a hand to his earpiece. "Mainside, ringleader secured all hostiles eliminated."

"Well done Browning. Now get your commander back we have other teams heading to settlement one to help with things there."

"Copy that, Browning out." Michael dropped the transmission and looked down at Biscuit with a weak smile. "Good boy, come on let's go get your chassis cleaned."

Satisfied it was indeed a "good boy" Biscuit hopped on its stumpy legs and flashed its lens before following its handler.

* * *

 **SETTLEMENT ONE**

"That's enough Dozer."

Dozer held the mangled body of Executioner by her leg as she began to swing to and fro. The doll looked over at Hatch with her remaining eye and for just the briefest moment Hatch felt a small pang of remorse. She was a well built and very capable doll, seeing her get reduced to practically scrap was jarring, to say the least. Who led her? Did they care for her like he did for his dolls?

The commander put the feeling to the back of his mind. She was the enemy and she had hurt his Calico as well as him.

By now other helicopters could be heard in the distance and Doogan had already begun landing his own in the town square. What remained of the militia looked around at their wrecked home and tried to console the civilians that had returned. Calico sat with MP40 and Spectre by the wrecked remains of the statue, the three dolls being tended to by Nagant Revolver. Calico refused to be put in sleep mode in fear of something happening to her commander. Hatch wanted nothing more than to be by her side, but there were still loose ends to be tied.

The barely functioning ringleader gave a weak chuckle."That..was a marvelous display human. In all my years I've never been bested. You command with bravery and fight with admirable prowess. Which is more than can be said for most humans."

She eyed the mess of biofoam and dressings on the commander's chest. "You're very lucky. Had you not fell back as I swung you'd be a corpse by now. Consider that wound a reminder of today."

"I've been fighting and surviving since before you were created. This scuffle we had is nowhere near the worst I've been through." Hatch let out a raspy cough and let a hand hover in front of his bloodied chest. "But I'm not here to exchange banter. Where's the rest of AR team?"

M4 glared. "Yes, where are my sisters? I know you've been tracking them as well."

The ringleader chuckled. "You think I know? I'm just the muscle of this operation, you already have the brains back at your base. Why don't you ask her?" She looked over at M4. "Not that it matters anyways, you think there aren't more of us looking for them?"

M4 shook her head. "I'm very well aware and I don't care. We'll take care of them the same as you."

"So confident, just like your commander." Executioner rolled her eye. "Whatever, this much I can say for sure. There will come a time when martial prowess won't be enough to defeat us."

A weak smile spread over the doll's lips. "You think hiding behind your hero will save you forever? Your sisters are still on the battlefield you think we won't have other ways to pursue you and the others?"

M4 glared. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, your hero won't' save you forever. Far as I'm concerned, the game is still in our park. Heh, I wonder what sort of bargaining chips they'll mak-"

M4 promptly reached for Hatch's glock and put a round through Executioner's forehead terminating her on the spot.

Dozer looked at the lifeless doll then at M4 before dropping the body as if it were garbage.

Hatch put a hand to his chest and winced in pain. "That was a little excessive."

"She talks too much." M4 returned the weapon to Hatch's holster. "Besides, we won and we have the information we need back at your base. With that, we can find the rest of my team in no time." M4 adjusted herself and kept a firm hold on the wounded commander. "Are you okay?"

Hatch winced."Yeah, painkillers just starting to wear off. Lay me down against Dozer."

M4 nodded and slowly set the commander down against his faithful killbot before sitting beside him. "You know, for what it's worth, she was right about one thing. You did perform great today. I'm glad you and your team were here to assist me, Commander Hatch."

"Yeah, I was in the neighborhood. That stunt you pulled with FN49 shooting the sword out of Executioner's hand was pretty good too. I don't take all the credit." Hatch took a glove off and fished through one of his cargo pockets, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one. As he took a few drags M4 cocked her head to the side in curiosity as she looked at his nails. Noticing the doll's confusion Hatch laughed.

"Yeah, that's Zas's work. One of my echelon leaders back at base. I kinda lost a bet. I'm a man of my word, especially with my girls."

"Your girls? Your dolls?"

"Yep, my girls. I'd go to hell and back for them."

M4 sat there and tried to process what she heard for a few moments as Hatch continued. "Look, M4. I came here looking for a quiet gig, easy money. Now that you're here it looks like all of that is about to change."

M4 looked down. "I apologize for-"

"No don't." Hatch put a hand up and dismissed the doll's doubts. "I was an idiot for thinking it'd ever be easy, I should know better."

The commander took another drag and stared at the clear blue skies. "When I start a job I finish it. So I'm gonna do what I can to help you find your sisters, all of them."

M4's face lit up. "Really? I mean, you don't have to."

"Nah, nobody's gonna do it better than Hatch's Heathens. I guarantee you that." The commander took another drag. "So consider this the start of a new alliance." Hatch let the cigarette hang in his mouth and extended the hand with painted nails. "Welcome to the team M4."

M4 eyed the different colors before extending her own with a smile. "Thank you Co-"

"Call me Ben now."

M4 nodded. "Ben, thank you for your support. I look forward to working alongside you more."

The two leaders exchanged a handshake and continued to look back at the clear skies.

* * *

 **This scene was honestly the hardest, Executioner's that is. I was constantly moving back and forth between making sure she wasn't a slouch and M4 not soloing her in a few panels like in the manga. As for Scarecrow, you're gonna have to let your imagination fly on how she went down. She's not a tough fighter by any means. Probably noticed how she didn't explode this time, yeah I'm not following canon to the T. I've got plans for her.**

 **A big part of my story is showing that everything is generally a group effort, everyone has a part to play in a scene. Unfortunately, I often have to omit details or too much of a few characters to save on word count. Either way expect most of the named dolls we've seen so far to have their moments.**

 **Anyways, loving the feedback so far. I honestly took a HUUUUUGE leap writing this story, but hey. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take am I right? I'll try to keep progress somewhat constant on the next chapter, but we'll have to play it by ear.**

 **Take it easy.**


	8. Aftermath

**I'm honestly surprised I was able to get this out at all. With the training and new job I have now, finding time to do shit like this can be troublesome. I think I've finally hit a comfortable rhythm so I should be able to start cranking out chapters a little more frequently now.**

 **Anyways, good to be back on the ole saddle.**

* * *

 **Aftermath**

" _Sometimes subtlety needs to take a backseat to raw power. We at IOP understand the needs of the modern shock trooper and have delivered just that. Introducing the new Aegis GA series of tactical doll. Durable and flexible enough to bring the hard hits anytime, anywhere and without the simple-mindedness of earlier models either! IOP, we shoulder the burden on the frontlines."_

IOP marketing advertisement on the newest line of Aegis tactical dolls.

 **LOCATION, UNKNOWN**

Executioner gasped and jolted upright before scanning her new surroundings. Recognizing the dimly lit maintenance bay and various display panels, she sighed and ceased her scan. Her cloud data had been successfully backed up; she was back at HQ.

A young female whistled at the display. "Geez, Executioner, I've never seen you startled before!"

Executioner scoffed and stretched her new body over the table she was on. "No, it's just been too long since my last 'death.'" She turned to face the female voice and sneered. "Unlike you Destroyer, I don't frequently fail. Quite the ironic name you have."

The smaller ringleader pouted and stomped her foot, causing her silver pigtails to flail around. "I don't fail at all! I haven't been shut down in months!"

"Strange. I don't remember your run-in with _**them**_ being that long ago. That was quite the form you lost. For once, you didn't look like a child."

Destroyer folded her arms and huffed. "They weren't exactly pushovers. Then again, neither were your opponents, it seems. You not only failed the mission, but got scrapped as well." She looked over at an empty table adjacent to Executioner's and shook her head. "And Scarecrow got captured as well."

"A momentary setback. The others will succeed where I failed. AR team is still fragmented and lost." Executioner put a finger under her chin and pondered. "Still, I relish the idea of fighting that human and his tin can friend again. Good warriors are hard to come by."

One of the doors to the room hissed open and with it came the sound of heels clicking over marble floor. "Good fight or not, you still failed the mission. The master is not pleased."

Destroyer inched back slightly and gulped. "A-Agent? Is she really angry?"

Agent adjusted her skirt and folded her hands. "Angry enough, but she is not unwilling to listen, thanks to my advice" The ringleader glared at Executioner. "In fact, she's _**very**_ curious as to how you and Scarecrow lost. How some ragtag gaggle of dolls was able to resist both of you at the same time."

Executioner jumped off her table and pointed a finger. "They were not just some 'ragtag gaggle,' Agent. It would be incredibly unwise to think of them that way. They are trained and led by someone who knows war."

"Explain that to the master, not me." Agent pointed back behind her. "You are to report to her immediately."

Executioner nodded her head solemnly as she went to follow the other ringleader. "Very well." As the pair went to leave, Agent stopped at the doorway. "Oh, and Destroyer?"

The smaller ringleader perked her head up. "Yes?"

"You are to report to the ops room later for tasking on the next mission." Agent glared. "Do not screw it up."

Once the others were gone, Destroyer looked around at the various Dinergates that were lazing around and puffed her cheeks up.

"What are all of you doing sitting around!? We have work to do!"

* * *

 **GNK, MAIN BASE OF OPERATIONS**

Helian sighed as the door to her least favorite person's quarters hissed open, revealing a dimly lit lab. The GnK executive entered with folded arms and glanced around the room in disgust as the door hissed shut behind her.

As usual, the place was a mess. Loose papers were left strewn about lab desks and computer terminals pinned under numerous coffee mugs. Sticky notes covered half-filled lab vials and algorithm filled chalkboards.

To the untrained eye, the lab was a pigsty, the quarters of a slob who had no idea what they were doing, but this was far from the truth. Behind every piece of clutter was the scribblings of a natural genius.

The sound of coffee splashing into a mug caught Helian's attention and the executive was able to find the individual she was looking for: Persica, head of IOP's 16Lab.

Persica finished pouring her beverage and sat down in a nearby lab chair, taking a few sips before stretching her back. Much like the rest of the laboratory, she was as disheveled as ever. Bags under her eyes, messy brown hair that hadn't been straightened in forever, and a lab coat that probably hadn't been changed in just as long. An odd set of cat ears on her head and bare feet were just the icing on the cake.

Persica took a long swig from her mug and gave a weak smile. "Aah, Miss Helian! I was wondering when you would arrive. So, is it over?"

"Yes, I just got confirmation from Browning. Executioner has been defeated and Scarecrow is in custody."

Helian rolled her eyes as Persica raised both her hands into the air and spun around in her lab chair. "As expected! My genius invention and my pupil's steadfast commitment to getting the job done. There was no other way it could have played out!"

The scientist stopped her spinning and turned to face Helian as her cat ears perked up. "And M4? She is intact?"

Helian nodded in response. "Yes, though I cannot say the same for Hatch and his dolls. The fool should have stayed at base."

"Nonsense! Think of the valuable data we can collect! M4A1 has never worked alongside a human commander before. This is a great opportunity to test her mettle as not only a leader, but as a follower as well." The scientist took another sip of her caffeine before putting a finger under her chin. "A man, no less. Hmmm…"

Helian raised an eyebrow. "And that should matter, why?"

"I've read into Hatch's dossier multiple times. I'm aware he has a sort of- nack, for working with dolls both military and otherwise. I can't help but wonder how M4 will react to being around the family he's cultivated."

"Family? They're dolls, they're meant to serve humans. Why would she act any different? She commands one of the most advanced doll teams ever created." Helian fixed her monocle. "Short of what the military has, that is."

Persica chuckled. "Oh Helian, you have much to learn about T-dolls and even more to learn about M4, but enough on that." The scientist got up and fixed her coat before leaning against a nearby desk. "Has there been any word on the others?"

Helian put her hands behind her back and began to pace. "Nothing yet. Browning hasn't gotten around to 'questioning' our Sangvis Ferri guest."

"He'll find what we're looking for." Persica put her beverage down. "As for my request from earlier..."

Helian raised a hand in protest. "You know it will be a while before we can arrange that. I need to talk to Mr. Krueger—"

"I already handled that. He has no issue."

"Of course, you went behind my back. Why am I not surprised?"

Persica smiled. "You shouldn't be. As soon as you can clear a flight for us, I want to leave. I need to get eyes on my doll, Miss Helian." The scientist put a finger under her chin. "And the interesting little place she's calling home for the time being. I do hope Browning still has that special blend of coffee."

Helian sighed in defeat. "Very well, I'll send it up the necessary channels. Is there anything else you will need?"

Persica pondered for a few moments before snapping her fingers. "Get a hold of my good friend Heather. Tell her and her mischievous assistant to get their things packed on the double. If anyone can help our brave field commander in the future, it's her."

"Oh good, so now you can make demands on where personnel should be?" Helian frowned. "There's a system in place, Persica, a chain of command—"

"I already talked to Mr. Krueger and he agreed it would be wise for her to go. She's already en route."

Helian glared. "I thought you wanted me to get a hold of her.."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot I had already taken care of it."

Helian clenched a fist and did her best to ignore Persica's snickering before gritting her teeth. "That will be all then."

As the executive made her way to the lab's exit Persica called out to her. "Oh and do try to stop by for lunch later! I have ramen!"

Helian scowled and took her leave, refusing to acknowledge the scientist further.

* * *

 **S09 BASE**

Thunder rushed out of the maintenance bay alongside other anxious dolls and base personnel as Doogan's helicopter touched down.

The gaggle of dolls and personnel stopped at the landing pad's edge and waited for the helicopter to properly land, paying careful attention to the burn marks that marked both the aircraft and Dozer. Nobody had gotten through the battle unscathed.

As the helicopter's engine began to whine down, Dozer disembarked and stood to the side with the rest of the aircraft's occupants following in short order. The ones who could still properly walk, that is.

Thunder was already running to the chopper before anyone else could even begin assisting the others. Her eyes darted every which way as she looked for Hatch and Calico.

" _ **OPERATOR'S VITALS REPORT FATIGUE AND DISTRESS. THIS UNIT RECOMMENDS IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION AND REST-"**_

"I'm fine! It's just a f-fucking scratch."

Hatch grit his teeth as he stumbled out of the helicopter and into Thunder's already outstretched arm. The handgun doll struggled to find her words as she held onto her commander tightly with her remaining arm, ignoring the mess his wound and tattered uniform were making on her gear.

"Ben? Ben?"

Hatch tried to ignore the pain and fatigue as he embraced the shaking doll. "Hey, sorry it took so long."

"Ben—" Thunder paused from whatever it was she was going to say as she saw Dozer give Calico a piggyback ride. Her eyes narrowed and mouth went agape as she focused on the stumps where the rest of Calico's legs were supposed to be.

"Hey, kiddo." Calico gave a nervous smile. "There was this really long wait at the market." She then noticed Thunder's missing arm and shook her head. "Guess you had a rough day, too?"

Thunder outstretched a stump towards Calico and Dozer as a tear slid down her eye. Nobody was dead, but the doll had come dangerously close to losing the things she cherished more than anything in the world.

Upon seeing the damage Hatch and the rest of Echelon 1 sustained, the other dolls started crowding around the battered survivors. Hugs were exchanged and worries were quickly put at ease as members of Hatch's unit were reunited.

All of this went on while M4 stood silently at the edge of the crowd. She watched intently and tried to comprehend what it was she was seeing. Dolls and humans acting merry and comforting one another like they were part of a family.

Dolls were meant to serve humans, not live alongside them.

"Make way! You are in the way!" Michael pushed his way through the throng of dolls and base personnel with a nervous Kalina in tow. Upon seeing Hatch and the rest of Echelon 1, the engineer frowned.

"Hatch, you're fucked up. Get to medical, _**now**_. Kalina, make sure he gets there."

Hatch gave a raspy cough and pointed at Browning. "F-fuck it's good to see you too Mike. Glad you're so excited to see me, but I gotta make sure my girls get tended to—"

"They will be. You, however, are about to collapse."

Thunder tightened her grip. "May I go with him? I'm not that beat up."

"No, I need you to keep Calico company." Hatch gave the doll a pat on the head as his eyes flickered slightly. "You heard the c-chief engineer."

Kalina nodded and walked up to Hatch before putting a reassuring hand on the still clinging Thunder's shoulder. A smile and a nod were all she needed to do to let the doll know she was going to take care of her commander.

Thunder looked at Hatch then back at Kalina before reluctantly letting go.

Meanwhile, Michael looked at the rest of the dolls and pointed back at the maintenance bay. "Rest of you, into the workshop! Some of you are down to almost no power. I know your anxious to see one another, but that's no excuse to be pushing yourselves to collapse."

Michael caught a glimpse of M4 and extended his hand. "Starting with you. Good thing we found you when we did."

For the first time since the Blackhawk's arrival, all of the other dolls locked onto the newcomer and began to scan her frame repeatedly. Many of them instinctively huddled around their commander, putting themselves between Hatch and M4.

This was a new doll they had never seen before and apparently she was important enough to warrant two Sangvis Ferri ringleaders coordinating an attack. None of them were taking any chances, especially when they couldn't even get readouts on her manufacturer or serial number.

Seeing the rising tension, Hatch raised a hand. "Girls, calm down. She's our guest and she fought alongside our own just as hard as any of you would. I expect...expect."

"Hatch?"

Hatch's body started to go limp as his voice began to fade. He shook his head a few times to try and shake off the exhaustion, but it wasn't working. The wound on his chest started to burn and with it Hatch could feel himself start to sweat profusely. The commander rubbed his eyes with a groan. "D...dammit. What the hell?"

Zas had been scanning over Hatch since he landed and had long noticed something wasn't quite right. It wasn't until his heart rate spiked and his vitals started going out of whack that she realized something was _**very**_ wrong. The echelon leader quickly raised her goggles and pointed. "The commandant is very sick! He needs emergency care, now!"

"Absolute, professs-" Then, as if a light switch was thrown, the commander promptly passed out amidst a chorus of yells and the faint sound of a distant helicopter approaching.

* * *

 **?**

Hatch grunted as his eyes flickered open. He was still in his outfit he had worn against Executioner, wound and all, but something wasn't right. He wasn't back at base.

Hatch paused to take in his new surroundings and gasped once he realized where he was.

He was back home in his living room. Everything was just as it was when he left. The afternoon sun cast warm rays of light through decorated blinds, illuminating dust particles in the air. The ugly blue carpeting his mother loved created soft padding underneath him and it took Hatch a great deal of effort to get up in the first place. A usual habit of his when he was done working in the fields for the day.

As usual, the fireplace was lit and the smell of the wooden furniture wafted into Hatch's nostrils. For a moment, he also thought he could smell his mother's famous apple pie, but a quick glance into the kitchen revealed there was nobody there. In fact, even the dogs and dinergates weren't around. He couldn't even hear the crows outside.

The startled commander slowly got to his feet and glanced around the room. "Mom? Flapjack? Scooby?"

"Nobody's home, champ. It's just you and me right now."

The hair on the back of Hatch's neck stood up and the commander's eyes grew wide. He knew that voice. He could never forget it. The fact he was hearing it at all didn't bode well as the person it belonged to had been dead for years.

Hatch closed his eyes and slowly turned around to face the voice, opening his eyes once he finally mustered the courage. Standing before him, in the same pilot's jumpsuit Hatch owned, was his father. Gregory Ivanko Hatch. "Dushman" as his wingmates called him.

"That's right, it's me, Mikhail. Your eyes aren't deceiving you."

Hatch stood there flabbergasted, his bottom lip quivering as he tried to find his words, but none came. His father looked the same as he did right before he left for his last mission, like he hadn't aged a day. His brown hair was still cut to military regulation and his face bore the same stern yet gentle expression he always had. The only thing missing was the gold-rimmed aviators he wore on his head.

"You aren't going to give your old man a hug? _Net lyubvi k tvoyemu ottsu_?" (No love for your father?)

Hatch stumbled forward and embraced his father, closing his eyes as his gesture was responded to in kind. " _Nyet_ , never."

He pulled away and shook his head. "But, you're dead. How are—"

"There are some questions best left unanswered, but now that I'm here, there are some things I need to say."

Hatch looked down at the ground then back at his father. "Before you go on, tell me this. Am I dead too? Did I fail mom?"

"As I did?" Gregory shook his head. "No son, but you came very close."

Hatch breathed a sigh of relief. A brief moment of respite that was quickly washed away by an intense feeling of grief. His father was still dead, none of this was real.

"You didn't fail mom."

"But I did and I failed you too, my son. Look what happened to you." Gregory looked over his son and sighed. "You came chasing after me looking for closure, answers."

Hatch put a hand to his chest. "I don't understand."

"Son, you were never meant to serve. I never wanted you to. Now, you are on a path I cannot take you off of."

Hatch shook his head. "Dad, I took this job to help support mom. There was no other way."

"There wasn't? Are you so sure? When you got out of the Marines, what did you do?"

"I went home to mom."

Hatch's father began to pace. "Is that what you did? Or did you do that after you went into the city? After years of looking for closure there too."

"Are you trying to imply I came here because I wanted to?" Hatch scoffed. "Cause if so, that's ridiculous. I did it to support mom."

"Is it? You spend years back home with mom and then suddenly, you want to carry a gun again. You both seemed to be doing fine to me."

"I didn't want to—"

Hatch's father paused from pacing and sighed. "Son, just…" Gregory put his hands on his son's shoulders. "At the end of this road, you will look back and realize all is not as you want to think it is."

Hatch wanted to look away, but locked eyes with his father instead. He would listen to what the wiser man had to say.

"But I didn't come here to chastise you and time is short. There are those who need you back."

Hatch sighed. "Then what did you come to tell me?"

"I came to tell you that despite all you have gone through, the checkered life you have lived so far. I am proud of you and love you with every essence of my soul, my strong son."

Hatch clasped his father's hands in his own. "It was you who made me this way."

"Me?" Gregory laughed. "I died and left you to grow up without a father. It was luck and your mother's love that you did not become something terrible."

Hatch sighed. "Doesn't always feel that way. I'm not exactly a role model either."

Gregory brought his son in for another hug. "You have a long road ahead of you, my boy, but _**you will succeed**_. You will do exactly what you have set out to do. You are a Hatch and—"

"'Hatch's never quit, never back down.' I know dad. I only wish I didn't need crutches to do so."

"No man is without flaw, Mikhail." Gregory pulled away. "And now son, it is time to go."

Hatch felt a tug on his very being and for a brief moment he reached out to his father, tears welling up in his eyes. "Wait, dad!"

Gregory's voice grew distant and with it, the world began to grow brighter. "I love you son. Now go do what you do best."

"Dad!? I love you too!"

Then, nothing.

* * *

 **S09 BASE**

Hatch had woken up from near-death experiences before and each time was always the same. The consciousness slowly came back, the five senses registering different sensations as they snapped back on. Like booting up a T-doll.

Though he couldn't move his body he could just barely make out voices and the sound of a vital signs monitor. Some were familiar such as Kalina's worried tone. Others, not so much. In fact, Hatch had never heard these two female voices on his base.

"Well, well. Looks like he's coming to. Remarkable, to sustain that sort of damage and recover so fast. _Ist sehr gut, ja_?" (It's very good yes?)

"Yes, absolutely. Though I hear Rocksert slams all sorts of interesting chemicals into their organic special forces troops. That treatment combined with your medical genius saved him."

" _Ja ja_ , I am indeed a genius. A toast! Get me my Zepper!"

"Dr. Zepper you mea—"

"Nonsense! I will not call it that. What _dummkopf_ (dummy) thought giving a soda brand the title of doctor was clever. It's not funny, it's not witty. I am a doctor! Not this can of soda. I bet there isn't even a doctor named Zepper at all!"

Hatch mustered the strength to open his eyes, squinting as he tried to adjust to the bright light. As the picture started to clear up, two faces got uncomfortably close to his causing him to cough and sputter as he fully woke up.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell?!"

Before Hatch could even make heads or tails of what was going on, arms wrapped around his neck and he came face first with someone's bosom. Calico.

The doll squeezed as hard as she could as she dimmed her voice to a whisper. "Ben, you ever do that again and I'll fucking kill you myself."

Not the worst way to wake up. In fact, it was probably his favorite way. Hatch closed his eyes and savored the softness for just a few moments more until Calico playfully pushed him off.

"That's enough action for you today."

"No kidding, I feel like shit." The commander rubbed his eyes and instinctively reached for his chest. The makeshift field care had been replaced by the soft padding of bandages and whatever else had been packed underneath. Even the pain had almost completely subsided.

"Don't feel a thing, _ja_? Of course, you don't. Not when you have been tended to by a medical genius such as myself. You're very lucky my friend Persica sent us out as quickly as she did. I'm not sure what that blade was made out of, but evidently, the material didn't agree with your body."

Hatch waited for his vision to clear up before finally taking a look at the newcomer. At first he thought he was hallucinating because the woman he was looking at looked exactly like G36. The only things that differed were the scientist outfit, nonpermanent squint, and the glasses she wore.

"36? Why the hell are you talking like-"

The other unknown woman in the room chuckled as she adjusted the strap for her assault rifle and reached into an icebox. "Oh, now you've done it."

The G36 lookalike stomped her foot and crushed the can of soda in her hand. "I am not G36! I am the medical genius Doctor Heather Locklear! That stupid friend of mine may have made her look like me and almost talk like me, but that is not me. I am me and she is she! Stupid Persica and her stupid pranks!"

The doctor coughed and straightened her coat in an attempt to compose herself. "I apologize. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Locklear. I was sent here by mainside to assist in tending to the medical needs of both you and your…" She pushed her glasses up. "Organic staff."

She pointed at her companion. "And that is K11. An assault rifle class T-doll and my personal assistant."

K11 popped the tab open for her soda and downed the contents in a single gulp before crushing the can and belching. Then, as if nothing had happened at all, fixed the buttons on her lab coat and smiled warmly. "Pleased to meet you, Commander Hatch."

Locklear leaned in towards Hatch and whispered while pointing back over her shoulder."Do not be fooled by her appearance. She is… how do you say? Koo Koo?"

K11 adjusted the clip for her blue hair with a look of disdain. "I am not crazy! You're the crazy one!"

Calico rolled her eyes as she maintained a firm grip on Hatch's hand. "Both of you are crazy. Why did command even send you? Most of the staff including the dolls are medically trained."

"For first echelon care. Just enough to stabilize the patient until higher care can be provided via CASEVAC." Locklear caught a soda K11 threw at her and popped the tab open. "Ordinarily, this wouldn't be so bad as most human operators stay back at base, so the likelihood of them getting hurt is slim to none. In fact, you're one of the very few commanders I know of that actively goes outside the wire."

K11 stopped spinning in an office chair looked at Hatch with a smile. "Which means special attention has to be paid to you. GnK can't afford to be losing valuable human assets, which is why company policy generally doesn't favor field commanders." She took a sip of her beverage. "We dolls are expendable, you are not."

"Yeah, well, I don't see it that way. I've never seen it that way. I don't have my troops do things I wouldn't do. I was a Sergeant in the Marines, not a goddamn pencil-pushing officer." Hatch locked his fingers with Calico's. "So if you're here to help me out with that, I appreciate it."

"Ahh, the Marines. I was former Bundeswehr _Division Schnelle Kräfte_. Airborne medic." Locklear extended a hand and shook Hatch's. "I was never in the war, but my superiors always told me you Marines were incredibly angry and a sure sign nobody was going home in one piece wherever you popped up at."

"I didn't particularly like fighting you guys or any other Western Europeans. We were supposed to be on the same side."

"Indeed, but who can say why things went the way they did? Humans can be such a ridiculous bunch. Which is why I agree with your sentiment on dolls, _mein commandant_ (my commander _)_. We are truly blessed to have dolls with us." Locklear finished her soda and grabbed another out of K11's icebox before spinning the doll's chair. "K11 is a dear friend of mine, and I can tell your dolls are likely the same for you. So then!"

Locklear clapped her hands. "I will ensure you will be safe and, how do you say, fit as a fiddle?"

Hatch watched the eccentric doctor chug another soda with worried eyes before nodding. "Yeah, sounds good to me."

Suddenly the door to the infirmary slammed open, revealing a distraught looking Kalina carrying a maroon GnK coat. The adjutant looked around with a frantic look and equally rattled chatter. "Is the commander okay? Is he fine!? I am so sorry I wasn't here to attend! I had to go talk to Helian and then Michael started putting in request forms!"

"Kalina."

"All these calls kept coming and dolls were everywhere and Michael was everywhere."

"Kalina."

"Then I had like no time to have coffee so I'm really running off nothing here."

Hatch raised his voice. "Kalina!"

The adjutant paused with a look of embarrassment. "I apologize. It's just been a long day and I...I." She sighed. "I just need a hug."

Hatch extended his arms. "Then come here."

Kalina held her head down and walked over to the side of the bed, getting on her knees so that she could properly enjoy the embrace. As Hatch comforted the stressed-out adjutant, he closed his eyes. There was something natural about the warmth of a human girl. The smell of her shampoo, her pulse, the sound of her breathing.

He needed this just as much as she did, maybe even more. It had been too long since he had enjoyed the physical comfort of a flesh and blood woman.

Calico cleared her throat. "Well don't mind me or anything. I'll just go wheelchair my crippled ass back to the repair bay."

Hatch and Kalina let go of one another and tried their best to look natural. The adjutant quickly brought up her datapad and nervously scrolled through. "Right, well. I'm glad you're back on your feet, Commander. There are a few things to go over later."

"Of course. There always is." Hatch sighed and looked over at Locklear. "So, Doc, am I good to go or what?"

The doctor nodded in approval with a thumbs up. "Quite so, though no combat missions for a few days. Whatever was poisoning you has long worked its way out of your system thanks to my genius. You will have a very nasty scar though." She pushed her glasses up her nose with a smirk. "But you seem to have a long history with those."

"Yeah, I'm a walking canvas." Hatch grunted as he got out of the bed and onto his feet. Thankfully, the good doctor had been kind enough to let him keep his trousers on, flashing everyone around him was the last thing he needed. Not that Calico would have seen anything new.

Hatch put his mud-covered boots on and fetched the coat from Kalina's outstretched hand. He never really liked the GnK issued garb, but the material inside the coat felt good on his skin and would no doubt keep him warm when he went outside.

"Right then, first things first." Hatch pointed at Calico. "We're taking you to get repaired. I'm sure Thunder and the other dolls miss you."

Calico waved a hand dismissively. "Well that, and Mike was pretty pissed off I put myself to the back end of the repair line. I wanted my team to get repairs first."

Hatch folded his arms. "So it had nothing to do with making sure I was okay?"

"Maybe a bit." Calico brought her pointer finger and thumb together. "Maybe a teeny bit."

"Right, right." Hatch grabbed the back of Calico's wheelchair and began pushing her towards the exit. "C'mon cripple, I'll go wheel your ass to the repair bay."

"Good idea. You can meet our new guest too."

"Guest?"

Kalina scrolled through her datapad and followed after the two. "Yes, didn't you hear? Browning and the others were able to capture the ringleader that led the attack on the base."

Locklear popped the tab on yet another can of soda and smiled as she heard Hatch's confused yelling echo back from down the hallway.

"K11, I do think I will enjoy it here on this base. Persica was wise to send me here."

The assault rifle doll nodded and did the same for her own soda can. "Quite so, doctor. Now then, how will we go about naming this soda?"

* * *

 **S09 REPAIR BAY**

Hatch muttered under his breath as he looked around at the grim scene in front of him. "My girls. What did they do to you?"

A pit formed in Hatch's stomach as he pushed Calico around the repair bay. Hatch had seen the horrors of war before. Men, both young and old, chewed up and spat out in all sorts of ways on the battlefield. Seeing his T-dolls the way they were now unsettled him. Some dolls lacked limbs and others had critical components exposed as they underwent repairs. Those that were still online reached out to Hatch with damaged limbs, seeking the comfort of their commander.

Not a single doll went without Hatch's care and affection. Even WA seemed relieved that her commander was around.

Sometimes it was hard for Hatch to remember they weren't actual human beings. More than once, Hatch saw a doll lacking clothing and had to look away to avoid embarrassing them. IOP had modeled some of them a little _**too**_ well.

Kalina flipped through her datapad and waved at some of the dolls that were on their feet. "Many of them wanted to visit you, you know. Some did it anyway despite Michael's orders. Thunder damn near kicked the door in and even Dozer was acting a little weird."

"It's true." Calico nodded in agreement. "Everyone was worried about you."

"Well, I'm here now. We're all alive so that's what matters." Hatch wheeled Calico over towards a repair bench, catching the attention of a few technicians who came running over. All of them snapped to attention with crisp salutes.

"Commander Hatch, sir! Repairs are ongoing and we are currently at an 85% efficiency rating. Chief Engineer Browning is in the back working on the new doll, but rest assured we are doing all we can to make sure our girls are fighting fit!"

Hatch scoffed as he delicately picked Calico up and set her down on the bench. "Dude, relax. I know you guys are doing your best. It's me remember? I'm not goddamn Kryueger."

The technician sighed in relief causing the others to do the same."Sorry, sir."

"Just do what you gotta do and make sure you have rest rotations going. Nobody is useful exhausted." Hatch gave the technician a pat on the shoulder and gestured towards Calico. "Just be careful of this one. She's a bit of a nuisance."

Amused by the joke Calico simply smirked as she flipped hatch the bird.

"Roger that, sir. We'll have her back on her feet in no time." The technician looked at the doll's stumps. "Literally, in this case."

Calico rolled her eyes before laying down on the bench. "Everyone's a jokester today. Whatever, let's just get this done." She gave Hatch a small wave and blew a kiss before shutting herself down and allowing the technicians to get to work.

Hatch picked up a nearby data slate and scrolled through the repair information, stopping at any dolls that had been reported as heavily damaged. Thankfully, most had already been repaired, including Spectre and MP40, but there were still many more to go.

He scrolled further and stopped when a warning message caught his eye. One of the holding cells was listed as occupied with a high priority asset.

Hatch maintained concentration on the data as he called out to some of the technicians."I was informed we have a 'guest'. Where is she?"

"Holding cell two, sir. Opposite end of the bay. Dozer's standing watch over her right now."

"Is she still online?"

"As far as we know sir. She, uh, did try to access the maintenance bay wifi, but Chief Engineer Browning's security damn near blew her processor."

Hatch chuckled. "Yeah, you don't fuck Michael's tech. Right then, I say we go pay her a visit." The commander turned and reached for a startled Kalina's hip-mounted Glock and checked the slide to ensure the weapon was loaded.

Kalina reached for her now empty holster as if she couldn't comprehend what had just happened."Commander Hatch? M-my gun?"

"I've seen what these things can do. If she tries something stupid, I'm putting her down." Hatch walked off towards his destination and beckoned Kalina to follow.

"Oh, okay."

 **XXXXXX**

Things were noticeably quieter at the opposite end of the bay. This was due to the fact that this was the area where a lot of simulation pods and "sleep" benches were. Any dolls in need of training, data upload or extended hibernation were sent here. The holding cells were likely just to avoid anyone potentially irritating Michael as he worked.

Hatch stepped over some cables and gestured towards two dimly lit holding cells. The cells themselves looked like traditional prison cells, only these ones had provisions for storing more "uppity" captives. The high strength bars and jammers being dead giveaways.

Hatch looked around the area and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Dozer's large hulking shadow in the corner. The military doll's visors immediately lit up as it eyed its operator. For a moment Hatch almost though the doll would come charging over not unlike an excited dog greeting its owner.

" _ **OPERATOR IN THE AO, SQUAD ACCOUNTED FOR. THIS UNIT HAS STOOD WATCH FOR 3 HOURS AND COUNTING**_." Dozer's head cocked to the side as Hatch felt a pressure start to rise in his head. " _ **AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? I WAS ALMOST WORRIED YOU WOULDN'T COME BACK."**_

Suddenly, a voice called out from one of the closed cells causing both Hatch and Kalina to stop dead in their tracks. "If you've come here to gawk and find some sort of amusement, you'll find yourself incredibly disheartened and otherwise disappointed."

Hatch looked back at Kalina then back at the cell with a nod. "No, my fun meter is all pegged out today. I already dealt with one of you, I just want to know who thought it'd be a great idea to try and kick my front door in."

Two gloved hands immediately reached for the bars. "So it's you, then. The one who was able to repulse Executioner's attack. I had predicted a 500% chance of failure for your forces there."

The ringleader went silent for a few moments before bringing her face to the bars. In the dim light all Hatch could make out were two glowing orange eyes. The same kind Executioner had. "My calculations are never wrong. Approach me human, so I might see who has corrupted my data."

Hatch gestured for Kalina to stay back and made his way to the bars. Once he got a good look at the doll, he almost stepped back in shock. With the exception of the bizarre conductor's outfit, jet black pigtails, and paler than normal skin she looked almost exactly like Calico.

Something she apparently already knew as no sooner had he done this she cocked her head to the side. "Does this form bother you, human? Does it remind you of someone you hold dear? A doll, perhaps?"

Hatch shook his head but maintained a steady grip on Kalina's handgun."Not bad. You almost had me for a moment there. Except my doll has a much better taste in fashion."

"I assure you, the resemblance is to me and not vice versa. I could not be made in an inferior construct's image."

"You certainly got a mouth like hers, too." Hatch scoffed. "Well, since you're not going anywhere, I guess we might as well exchange names. I'm Commander Benjamin Hatch, and yeah, I'm the guy who held your dumbass friend's attack back. Course, I didn't do it alone. So to whom do I owe the pleasure of meeting?"

The doll glided to the side of her cell. "I suppose I can indulge you in that information, despite your position. I am Sangvis Ferri Manufacturing product number 65, callsign Scarecrow." The dolls eyes narrowed as she flitted over towards the bars and extended a hand. "I am aware you are quite proud of your dolls. I can see it in their… behavior. Tell me, are you aware of the situation you are in?"

"Yeah." Hatch shrugged. "I'm tired and hungry. My brain is screaming for a drink, and right now, I'm pretty pissed off with how my day's been. Buuuut I do have a prisoner, a rather valuable one at that, so it's not all bad."

Scarecrow shook her head. "Indeed you do, human. Victory is yours, but what if I told you've gained much much more as well?"

"Oh? Do share."

"Why, take a look. I can do much more for you. Think of the information you could learn and the power you could have with a doll such as myself in your..care."

"Care?"

"Why yes. To be in possession of a doll such as myself is a valuable position indeed."

"So, what exactly can you do for me?"

"Knowledge and power, human. The location of AR team, the way into Sangvis Ferri's bases and much much more."

"Much much more?"

"Yes, you need only to let me out of these bars and I'm all yours."

Hatch raised his eyebrows and took a step forward, eyeing the doll with increasing interest. "All mine, huh?"

The doll reached out from behind the bars and beckoned the commander. "Yes, your own Sangvis Ferri doll. Yours to command." Her voice dimmed to a whisper. "All yours, you need but come closer and release me."

Hatch put a finger under his chin. "So, power and knowledge?"

"Yes, and prestige."

"That's it?"

Scarecrow raised an eyebrow as if everything she had just heard something that didn't make sense. "That's it? What more could there be?"

"A lot more."

Scarecrow tightened her grip on the bars. "What could be more valuable than that!? I am giving you the opportunity of a lifetime! Think of the status you could gain!"

" _ **ATTA BOY BENJY, YOU TELL THAT SCHEMING BITCH WHAT'S UP."**_

Hatch shook his head and turned on his heels beckoning for Kalina to follow him out. "You don't know a damn thing do you?"

Scarecrow's voice went from calm and analytical to venomous as she began slamming on the bars in anger. "I know everything there is to know about you and your dolls just by a glance! How could you possibly call me wrong?! I am never in error! I am perfection, what could you possibly know about anything meatbag!?"

"Evidently more than you." Hatch gave a whistle for Dozer to follow. As the bot stomped after its master Scarecrow yelled after them.

"Where do you think you're going human!? Explain yourself, what knowledge!? Nothing stays hidden from me forever! I will find what makes you and your little 'family' tick. Then I will get into your mind and pull your strings like a marionette!"

Hatch stopped and gave a thumbs up without turning to face the prisoner. "Well then, guess you got homework to do."

"What?! Stop where you are! I demand it!"

Scarecrow's screams fell on deaf ears as Hatch and the others disappeared from view. Alone with her thoughts, Scarecrow began to pace back and forth in contemplation as she reigned in her temper.

"Fine then. Consider your challenge accepted, Commander Hatch."

Once they were out of earshot Kalina looked at Hatch with a look of bewilderment."So what was all that for?"

"To get her to start thinking for herself."

* * *

 **Real shit, I'm probably butchering languages. I use google translate lol, but eh, what can you do? This chapter was originally shaping up to be A LOT longer but I had to trim some things down to make it fit. Plus I wanted to get something out so you guys knew I hadn't vanished.**

 **Regardless, hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much I enjoyed writing it. Writing for GFL is a lot more fun than writing for Gate. See ya'll next time.**


	9. But Wait, There's More

**But Wait, There's More**

" _Did you know that 'The Great Gunline' wasn't always called that? Before World War 3 it was nothing more than a simple reinforced border wall! However, with the fall of South America and the rise of the ELID, the Founders realized drastic measures needed to be taken in order to keep our people safe. Reinforced with the latest in defensive technology and manned by the best our military has to offer. The Great Gunline stands ever vigilant in duty to our coalition. Rocksert, come see what makes us different today!"_

 _Rocksert Tour Guide Brochure_

 **SOMEWHERE IN EASTERN EUROPE**

The rifle model doll hefted her massive weapon up over her shoulder and kicked the head of a defunct guard model doll. Satisfied all was well, she made her way over to her commander and stood at the base of the wrecked Manticore he had destroyed. She looked up at him with a coy smile and brushed a strand of brown hair out of her face.

"Well, that about ties that up. Saiga, K5, and M37 are rounding up the stragglers. Once they're done we'll link up with them and head on home."

The commander took a drag of his cigarette and sighed. "Good, my chakras are all sorts of fuckin' whack."

"Well, then I'll give you a nice back rub when we get back to base. I'll get the mood candles lit and a warm bath going. Maybe we can invite some of the other girls to join us too. How does that sound?"

"Like a fuckin' plan, you always know exactly what gets my fire going DSR." The commander got up off the Manticore's head unit and jumped down to his doll, his massive boots kicking up a dust cloud upon landing.

"Always the ruffian. I love that about you, you know that?" DSR smirked as her commander stood up to his full height and came face to face with her.

"Sure it's not because I'm a big black guy?"

"Oh, that's just the icing on the cake baby."

The commander put a finger under DSR's chin and was just about to make a sly remark when suddenly his earpiece started buzzing. "I swear man, this adjutant always buggin' me at the worst times." He groaned and pressed a finger to his ear. "Yeah, what is it, Brian?"

"Yo, Commander. The fairy and NTW ain't detecting anything else, looks like another successful mission. Funds are being wired to our account as we speak."

The commander rolled his eyes. "No shit it was successful, do you even listen to K5's premonitions? We were getting positive waves the moment we took off from the base."

"Yeah yeah, sorry. Oh, so word just came in. Looks like we ain't been the only ones busy with Sangvis Ferri. Some other commander and his dolls just held off not one, but two Ringleaders! Do you believe that shit?! In S09 too!"

The commander started rubbing under DSR's chin with a smile. "Yeah, and why should I care? It's not like my bad bitches and I couldn't do the same. SF's just been a bunch of pussies too scared to send their best at us."

Brian chuckled. "Oh? You don't even want to know his name? You only bring him up all the time."

The commander stopped playing with DSR, his cigarette falling out of his mouth as his jaw dropped. "Brian, you better not be fuckin' with me. You better not be _ **goddamn**_ fuckin' with me. I ain't in the mood for jokes like that."

"I'm not, it's _**him**_ alright. A buddy of mine knows his adjutant and was coordinating with her over the net."

The commander clenched his fists and grit his teeth. "That..no good motherfucker. I knew he'd wind up here."

"Hon'? Are you okay-" DSR put a hand out to comfort her commander only to recoil in shock as the man put a hole clean through a nearby brick wall.

"Am I okay?! Oh, I'm zen as fuck right now!" The commander sighed before retracting his fist from the wall. "It's fine, you know what? K5 said I'd see him again someday and guess what happens to be coming up?"

DSR smiled. "The ball."

"Exactly, oh we'll do plenty of catching up." The commander put on a big grin as he began walking off towards the rendezvous coordinates. As DSR followed in behind him, he reached under his vest and pulled out a pair of dog tags and rubbed his fingers over them. "Oh Benjy boy, I told you. We're inseparable."

* * *

 **S09 BASE**

"Well, I'll be fuckin' damned. See, I told you lot he'd be fine!"

An enthusiastic Doogan stepped over some toolboxes that had been scattered around the beat-up helicopter and made his way over to Hatch. "Khadrov and Dimitri had placed bets on how long it'd be until Kalina came out here teary-eyed. Unfortunately for them, I bet otherwise."

The mechanic reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash with a big grin. "Guess who just made bank!?"

A couple of clangs along with Dimitri's voice echoed out from within the Blackhawk's troop bay. "That is a load of bullshit! Do not listen to this _mudak_ 's (asshole) lies!"

" _Da_ , we would never bet on such a silly thing. Comrade Commander Hatch is our role model, the wind beneath our helicopter's wings!" Khadrov echoed back.

Grizzly leaned out from the cockpit and was just about to chime in before Hatch and Kalina's shocked expressions cut her off. The doll was wearing her coveralls "half mast" which meant her sports bra and the significant assets underneath were visible for all to see. The doll shook her head and sighed.

"I promised him if we came back alive I would. He did fly pretty well today."

"You bet your sweet fine little ass I did!" Doogan rubbed his hands together with a mischievous grin. "And after we're done here, I'm gonna make do on my end of the promise, my little bear."

Grizzly winked at Doogan before going back into the cockpit, prompting Hatch to give him a look of disgust. "Jesus, both of you—No, _**all**_ of you are all sorts of fuckered, you know that?"

"Oi, but you wouldn't have it any other way." Doogan gave a thumbs up with Hatch responding in kind. "But I'm sure you're not here just to shoot the shit."

"Read me like a book. What's the verdict, Doogs?"

The mechanic shrugged and reached into the Blackhawk and threw Hatch's bloody gear on the ground.

"Hey, easy with that shit! It's got history to it."

"You mean it _**had**_ a history to it." Doogan rolled his eyes. "Boss, I hate to break it to you, but the shit is toast. I can sew fabric and get new Kevlar, but that blade fucked your vest all sorts of crazy." The mechanic pointed to the helmet's slightly cracked visor. "Now that? I can fix, that's easy enough. Shit, I'll even get with Mike, try to upgrade the software to some of the shit Rocksert guys are rocking now."

Hatch sighed. "Well that's a relief, but what about the vest? Can't go running out into the shit without a vest."

"See, I have a question about that: why the hell are you still running those last gen plates? I know for a fact the new PCVs are all the rage." Doogan lit up a cigarette and offered one to Hatch before taking a drag. "The hell's up with that?"

Hatch did the same and eyed the gear with tired eyes. "Those were just trickling into the military before I got out. Higher-ups were too busy dealing with all the crap the new merge was bringing."

"Right, well, we gotta get you a vest. I'll talk to some of me old merc buddies. I know for a goddamn fact I can get you something high speed, boss. Might even be able to throw an Exo on it so you can keep up with the dolls."

"A PCV with a mobility Exo? And just where are you gonna get gear like that? Exos aren't even standardized yet."

Doogan gave a coy smile. "I have my methods boss. Barring that, there's always the black market. Shit, Michael was able to get an Aegis, anything's possible."

"I love how you nonchalantly say that. Like the black market isn't a big deal." Hatch rolled his eyes.

"Mate, it isn't." Doogan finished his cigarette and chuckled. "You know I don't have a filter."

Hatch exhaled some smoke out of his nose before crushing his cigarette into the dirt. "Yeah, that's my pilot." The commander looked around for a few moments in confusion. "Hey, what happened to the sword?"

Doogan pointed at Dozer before reaching for some tools on the ground. "Mike is running some tests on it. Gonna see if we can't get brick shithouse over there to use it. With any luck, he might actually be able to cause some damage."

Throughout the conversation, Dozer's visors had been tracking a particularly large bee that had been flying too close to his head. Doogan shrugged. "Or he'll just use it like a big club and fuck all of us up too. Could be fun either way, big green stupid bastard."

Hatch's voice trailed off as he continued to watch Dozer's peculiar behavior. "Riight, well anyways. You guys need anything? All your kit accounted for?"

"Yeah, we could use something. More boom boom, boss." Doogan pointed at the helicopter's guns and grimaced. "Something tells me things are gonna get a lot more heated now that we have that doll. I mean, you saw how determined they were to get her, mate."

No sooner had Hatch nodded Kalina reached for her tablet and started making notes for the inevitable to-do list her commander would need.

"So, what'd you have in mind, Doogs?" Hatch folded his arms with a smirk. "And try to keep it reasonable this time."

"Mate, ain't nothing reasonable or unreasonable about it. These are the hard facts. We're gonna need at least a DAP* package for Mozzie. That includes all the fixings too, like a goddamn electronic warfare package, composite armor plating in key spots."

Hatch remained quiet as the pilot continued to list things off.

"Furthermore, your killbot? He's too big for the bird. Too much strain on the frame."

"So what are you suggesting?" Hatch raised an eyebrow. "He's too big for the MRAPs and we don't have any other wheels. He can't very well run to the AO*."

"Another bird. Something big, like a Chinook!" Grizzly yelled from the cockpit.

Hatch groaned. "And where do you suppose we'll find one of those?"

Kalina looked up from her tablet. "GnK actually operates 47s. Many commanders use them to ferry their heavy weapon teams or for large multi-echelon operations."

"See? There you have it. We go in for a hot drop, Mozzie can run escort and the 47 drops off the goods. Simple." Doogan nodded matter of factly.

"And who's gonna fly it?"

On cue, Dima and Khadrov emerged from the helicopter with wide grins. Hatch could only facepalm at the display. "Right, right, okay. I'll put that on the list. Anything else?"

"Nope, that's it." Doogan gave a thumbs up. "I know you'll pull through. Thanks boss."

"Yeah yeah. Anyways, I gotta go take a look around the base, survey the damage. Take it easy." Hatch waved dismissively as he turned to leave with Kalina and Dozer.

Doogan waited for the group to get further away before turning to face the helicopter with a smirk. "Oi, Grizz? Give us a quick little look, will ya?"

Grizzly extended a hand from the cockpit and flipped Doogan off. "Don't push your luck. Now get in here and help me with the flight log."

"Why, of course, I'll just come to you."

 **XXXXXXX**

Hatch whistled at the seemingly endless piles of Sangvis Ferri bots. "They really did send everything they had, and then some. Shame I wasn't here to help."

"And I wish I could have helped more." Kalina watched her footing as she stepped over the charred remains of a Guard-class doll.

"'Helped more'? Kalina, you were vital to keeping communication lines free and clear. You expertly relayed the situation to and from base. The hell do you mean?" Hatch took a sip from his flask and sighed. Thankfully, Dozer's ramblings had been relatively light outside of a few jokes that Hatch couldn't respond to.

Kalina's eyes widened. "Really?"

Hatch eyed a discarded Sangvis Ferri energy rifle and picked it up, examining the foreign weapon's design. "Yeah, sometimes the most important roles are the ones that aren't pulling triggers. No military force can run without proper logistics, Kalina. C'mon, you know that."

"Oh, well, thank you." Kalina smiled before looking at the weapon Hatch held. "What's that?"

"Type-16 energy rifle, nasty little bit of business." Hatch rubbed some mud off the weapon's scope. "Typically toted around by Vespid-class dolls. Has about the same rate of fire and accuracy as a conventional assault rifle. Just more punch due to the fact that it, you know, fires shit that can fry you."

"You sure know your weapons."

"Hey, I don't always drink in my room. I take time to read the manuals and dossiers." Hatch aimed at a nearby tree. "Unfortunately for me—well, humans in general, is that—"

He pulled the trigger and for a moment Kalina held her ears expecting to hear the trademark shrieking sound followed by the smell of burnt wood. Nothing happened. She looked at the weapon then back at Hatch with a raised eyebrow. "Is it broken?"

"No. See, they don't work with humans. They're hardcoded to each individual Vespid unit. Same goes for the other Sangvis weapons." Hatch eyed the weapon further and shrugged before slinging it. "Still though, never seen one in person. Makes for a good trophy. Who knows? Maybe Mike can work some of his magic on it."

"Is it better than what you normally use?"

"Eh, yes and no. Most militaries in the world still predominantly use projectile-based weapons. There's a few notable exceptions, like the shit we use against ELID targets."

"Why's that?"

"Projectile weapons are still pretty potent and switching over to something like this would take time. Training's gotta get redone and factories gotta get retooled. Besides, if a gun breaks on you you can usually fix it pretty quick." Hatch chuckled. "If one of these does, you're probably already a smoking critter."

Hatch started to walk back towards base, gesturing for Kalina and Dozer to follow. "Oh, makes sense. I mean, ELID are pretty tough the longer they grow. Say, Commander Hatch?" Kalina caught up to her commander and walked beside him. "Have you ever fought ELID before? It said in your dossier that you did, but everything else was all blacked out."

Hatch stopped dead in his tracks and grimaced. "Yeah, I did. There's a reason why that shit is all blacked out Kalina. It's not something to be proud of, believe me." He sighed. "I wouldn't wish that shit on anyone."

" _ **WHAT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA TELL HER HOW I TOOK ON 3 CATEGORY-THREES AND WON?"**_

Kalina looked down in embarrassment. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"It's fine. Honestly, I probably would've asked the same thing." Hatch paused and raised an eyebrow. "Wait, how were you able to see that section of my dossier anyways?"

"Top Secret clearance, remember?" Kalina winked and gave the peace sign.

"Oh, of course."

Suddenly, Kalina's tablet started flashing as a notification chime went off. The adjutant promptly tapped through some screens until finally Michael's face emerged on it.

"Chief Engineer Browning? Is everything alright?"

Michael sighed and rubbed some soot off his face. "Not really. Helian wants a meeting. Confidential, my office. Is Hatch there?"

Hatch leaned in so that Michael could see him, taking a moment to admire the smell of Kalina's hair. "Yeah, I'm here. Making my way there now."

"You'd best hurry up. Boss lady is pissed. Browning, out."

Hatch rolled his eyes before breaking into a run. "Yeah, what's new. C'mon Kalina."

The adjutant was just about to chase after him when something caught her boot, causing her to lose her balance and fall forward. Fortunately, Dozer was on the scene and quick to grab her by the hand. The shaken adjutant regained her footing and looked up at the military bot.

" _ **CAUTION, MULTIPLE OBSTRUCTIONS. THIS UNIT RECOMMENDS CAUTION WHEN TRAVERSING TERRAIN."**_

The bot then ran after Hatch leaving an embarrassed Kalina behind to pick up the pace.

" _ **DUMBASS."**_

* * *

 **TACTICAL DOLL MAINTENANCE BAY**

Michael and the others sat silent as they watched Helian and Hatch go about their usual back-and-forth discussion.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"We need more firepower. If you want future encounters to go smoother, we're gonna need more teeth." Hatch started counting down on his fingers as he listed off the specifics. "Shotgun and machine gun model dolls for starters. My clearance hasn't been approved for those."

"Your area was not a warzone at the time. There was no inherent need for you to have them." Helian responded matter of factly. "Now that the situation has changed however, I see no reason to deny you that. I'll have the paperwork sent up." Helian scrolled through something on a screen Hatch and the others couldn't see. "As for your request for the Chinook and retrofits for your helicopter, also granted."

Hatch's jaw dropped. "Wait, what? That easy?"

Helian closed the screen and frowned. "Don't push your luck, Commander. There's still the issue of your wound and your near-death experience."

Hatch furrowed his brow at the vidscreen and would have jumped out of his chair were it not for the fact he was still on meds. "This again?"

"Yes, 'this again'. While the performance of your echelons was exemplary, your presence in the town and subsequent injury could have jeopardized the entire S09 base and our efforts in this sector." Helian snapped back.

Hatch folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "So, you're fine with me going outside the wire with my dolls for months. Now suddenly you're not okay with it."

"Small missions and peacekeeping are vastly different from full-on assaults with Sangvis Ferri Ringleaders. Do you have any idea what could have happened had that blade just been a little furth—"

"Yeah I'd be dead. I've only been told this a thousand times. Look, you and I both know I'm going to keep doing it. You've had ample time to fire me so obviously you're not too keen on that. Or would you rather have Matthias back? Good ol' doll-abusing piece of shit Matthias. How's that investigation into him going by the way? Or are you still so focused on me?"

Helian glared and looked like she was about to berate Hatch further, but instead she shook her head and composed herself. There were far more pressing matters to be concerned with.

"I'm not going to waste all of our time with this incessant back and forth. Be mindful of your position and what's at stake Commander Hatch. Now then."

Helian looked over the rest of the group that had congregated in the meeting room. That being Hatch, Kalina, Michael and M4A1. "We know now that Sangvis Ferri is indeed interested in AR Team and is actively hunting them down. What we don't know is where the rest of the team is."

Michael leaned forward in his chair. "I'm working on that, ma'am. I've been bogged down with repairs and reassessing the damage to our systems. Scarecrow should have the coordinates for the rest of AR team. She will give them to us."

"Good." Helian nodded in approval before looking at M4A1. "And you are sure you have no idea where the rest of your team went?"

M4 shook her head. "No, we were supposed to rendezvous at predetermined coordinates. But the attack from one of the Ringleaders, Agent, disrupted our comms and threw our signals off."

"Not good, not good at all. We do have you, however, and that's a positive start."

"I would like to find my sisters. Capable as they are, it's my fault all of this happened." M4 looked down solemnly.

"We'll find them. Once we get the coordinates it's just a matter of—"

Suddenly, a vid screen opened up near Hatch's side of the table revealing a rather less than amused Zas. "Commandant, we have a guest and they're here for you."

Everyone including Helian leaned in as Zas spun the screen around and raised her weapon at a beaten and battered car that had pulled up to the front gate. She slipped a grenade into her underbarrel grenade launcher and signaled for her team and some gate guards to surround the vehicle.

"Don't try anything funny or I'll blow you and the car away! Come out with your hands slowly and state your name!"

Hatch and the others watched intently as the driver's side door opened up. "Yeesh! Talk about a rude greeting! I just wanted to talk to your commander! We're on the same team!"

Zas's camera shook from side to side. "Not when we can't identify you. We aren't in the mood for games."

M4's eyes went wide as she brought her hands down onto the table. "No way! I know that voice anywhere!"

"Oh you gotta be shitting me." Hatch's jaw dropped as the driver stepped out. He couldn't blame Zas; the newcomer looked like she belonged to Sangvis Ferri. However, having reviewed the documents and dossiers multiple times, Hatch knew otherwise.

"I'm not joking here I'm everyone's favorite doll M4 SOPMOD 2!" The doll waved at the camera. "Hello GnK commander! I heard all this shooting and I just had to drop by and see if there was fun to be had!"

The doll looked around for a few moments and shrugged. "But it seems you already won. Perhaps you can help me, see I'm looking for—"  
M4 squeezed her face next to Hatch's and yelled at the screen. "SOP2! It's me, M4! I'm here!"

Sop's face lit up and she would have ran at Zas, were it not for the fact she had guns pointed at her. She started waving her hand faster as she yelled back. "Oh, wow! Hi M4! See, I told you we'd meet up again sooner than you'd think!"

Hatch looked up at a shocked Helian then at everyone else before giving a nervous laugh. "Hey look, we found another one."

* * *

 **Acronyms used:**

 **DAP-Direct Action Package. A kit that allows a Blackhawk to essentially get turned into a gunship.**

 **AO-Area of Operations**

* * *

 **Short chapter, I know. I had originally intended for things to go on a bit longer, but the pacing felt awkward if I did that. Shoutout to the readers who caught mistakes I made in earlier chapters. Shit happens amirit?**

 **You may have noticed that I've been taking creative liberties with some of the lore. Honestly, the backstory to GFL is so muddled and hidden behind shit yet to be translated. There's also a lot of void between major events and otherwise which makes it pretty easy to make up shit too.**

 **You also may have noticed that I've slowly been going off the normal route in canon. This is a mistake I made with HWGA and one I'd like to avoid making again. Besides, when you make unexpected twists and turns things can get interesting.**

 **Anyways, work on the next chapter has already begun so expect that out pretty soon too. Provided my job doesn't get really stupid. Hope ya'll enjoyed this and see you next chapter.**


	10. And Even More

**Do I blame Code Vein or my job's ridiculous zombie hours for the hiatus?**

* * *

 **...And Even More**

" _You see A-dolls and T-dolls, we see an affront to the natural order of things. It was one thing to make them tools of war or aids in everyday human labor, but humanizing them? Sculpting them to act exactly like us? Look what's happening now! Men and women alike eloping with these..these, fake human beings. Starting families with them! Letting them act like citizens!? No, you cannot stand against the order of nature. We, of the Human Rights movement, will not allow it!"_

 **WEST VIRGINIA, ROCKSERT**

Melinda Hatch shook her head and smiled as all the dogs and Dinergates started yapping. They scrambled over one another and out the dog door as they rushed to greet the guest that had pulled up the gravel driveway in a beat-up Ford pickup truck.

Melinda finished washing the dishes and dried her hands before heading out of the kitchen and towards the door, brushing past Delilah, who had just finished doing the same.

The A-doll peered out from behind the curtains over the sink with a look of curiosity. "Ma? Were we expecting guests today?"

"Oh, don't you pay him no nevermind. He always does these unannounced visits." She gave a warm smile as the truck pulled next to the barn. "Been doing this for years."

"He?"

The dogs and Dinergates rushed to the truck's driver side door and patiently waited for the driver to emerge, their anticipation only growing as the vehicle's engine shut off. Melinda made her way to the front porch and leaned against the door frame with folded arms as the truck's door opened up, an older man wearing a tan baseball cap, bomber jacket and faded blue pants exiting shortly thereafter.

Melinda chuckled as the man was immediately set upon by the dogs and Dinergates, each expecting head pats and praise. She continued to watch the scene as Delilah extended her head out the door, craning ever so slightly in an attempt to get a better look. "Ma? Who's that?"

"That, Delilah, that is another important man in both my life and Benjy's." Melinda whistled and in moments the pack stopped and made their way back, guiding the guest in the process.

The man took his hat off with a tired smile, revealing a graying military regulation haircut. "Melinda, you're looking as right as rain on a summer day!"

"Oh, you hush with that nonsense, Joe! You ain't gonna get no freebies here, dinner's all done!" Melinda hurried down the patio steps and towards the man with open arms. The two embraced for a few moments, and as Melinda pulled away, she brought up an accusatory finger.

"Now if you behave yourself, there might be pie!"

The man put his hands into his jacket pockets and chuckled. "Me? Always when I'm home visiting!" He looked over Melinda's shoulder at Delilah and waved. "And who's this?"

Melinda beckoned for Delilah to come over, formally introducing the doll as she reached them. "This is Delilah. She's the best A-doll a woman could ask for."

Delilah did her usual curtsy. "Pleased to meet you, sir. A friend of Ma's is a friend of mine. Who do I have the privilege of meeting?"

Melinda gave the man a pat on the shoulder and pointed a thumb at him. "This right here is mister Joseph Crawford."

Delilah's eyes lit up as she brought her hands together. "General Crawford?! The man who used to fly alongside Mr. Hatch during the war!?" She extended a hand. "Sir, it is an honor to meet you. I've heard nothing but amazing stories."

Crawford gave an enthusiastic shrug and grasped her hand. "Hey now, I'm off duty. You can just call me Joe. So you're the doll Benjy was talking about; that boy would only buy the best for his mama."

"Yeah, you should have been there when she arrived on my birthday." Melinda scowled. "Too busy being in the Joint Chiefs to come visit us, eh?"

Crawford put his hands up in defense. "Hey now, things have been incredibly busy. You know how the military is. I did send those flowers and the bakeware you've been asking for."

"Uh-huh." Melinda gave a playful push. "You're lucky Ben didn't ask where you were. Probably too busy with work. But enough on that. let's all go on inside before it gets too cold out."

 **XXXXXX**

"As ever Melinda, your baking is perfection. I sure hope Ben's been getting care packages of this quality." Crawford wiped some crumbs off his mouth with a napkin and got out of Delilah's way as the doll reached over to get his plate off the dining table.

Melinda handed her plate to Delilah and sat back in her chair, looking over at the pack that had huddled up around the table. Dog and Dinergate both peered out from behind chairs and between legs, hoping to get scraps or some head pats. "That boy gets all the love his mama can give and then some."

"Good, It's been a while since I've called him." Crawford reached down and patted the top of Hatch's first and favorite Dinergate, Flipjack. The old bot hummed in approval before laying down flat.

"So I'm taking it he's been settling into his new job well. Griffin does good work, I never would have sent him their way if they didn't."

"Yes, well, things have been awfully quiet around here without my little miracle. You know I still don't like him over there."

Crawford sighed and ran a hand over his hair, the wrinkles in his face forming a frown. "Yeah, I know, but you know he was adamant about it. The boy, he—"

"I know, Joe. I know. He'll do what he's gotta do. I still thank the Lord above for delivering him to me from that blasted war. I'm sure things over there can't be anywhere near as bad as that."

"He'll be fine, he's his father's son after all." Crawford leaned back in his chair and glanced at the familiar holo portrait over the fireplace. It was of him and his old wingman, Gregory. Celebrating with their unit over their recent victory against Neo-Soviet forces. Crawford still remembered that day, the squadron gathering in front of their F22s and F23s for ecstatic photographers. A small respite in a world overcome by war.

He pushed the growing feeling of nostalgia. "Still have that old thing?"

Melinda put her tea down and nodded. "Of course I do. You two were practically brothers, Joe. You're just as much a part of our family, especially after all you've done for Ben."

"I promised Greg I would." Crawford sighed. "I told him to not have me make that promise, you know. I told him it was bad luck. Should have been me that took that hit, not him."

Melinda shook her head. " You stop that nonsense. There was nobody else that could and you know it. At least Ben wound up with _**some**_ sort of older male figure in his life." She took another sip of her tea. "That didn't stop him from enlisting and going off into the city to do God knows what afterward, but he came out fine in the end."

"Yeah, I suppose he did. Good thing I found him and made him come back home." Crawford looked up at the ceiling. "I just hope that boy's alright."

"Of course he is, now stop fussing and finish your tea." Melinda gave a scornful look. "You have a lot of catching up to do mister super busy general in the joint chiefs of staff. Don't think your title's gonna give you any excuse here."

"Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

 **S09 GARAGE**

After what felt like hours of briefings and big commander tasks, Hatch was finally alone to do as he pleased. Well, not really. There was still some work to be done on a certain killbot, but at least the commander was free to think clearly as he did so. Hatch changed the track on his old and beat up music player before returning his attention to a mud-covered Dozer.

The bot stood upright under a series of lamps and was flanked on all sides by tool cabinets. Michel have been the chief engineer, but Hatch was still more than qualified to do first echelon maintenance on his gear. Which, in this case, was Dozer. The old MOS had to be good for something after all.

"Okay, shit for brains, let's see if anything's wrong with you." Hatch fixed the sleeves to his father's flight suit and got to work opening panels and grabbing tools.

As the ancient rock and roll track started playing Dozer's visors flashed as his head turned to look at his handler.

" _ **AH PMCS*. BRINGING BACK ANY MEMORIES?"**_

"Yeah, you charging headfirst into gunfire with your shithead buddies Lovejoy and Cuddles. How could I ever forget the hours of cleaning and Adhoc fixes?" Ben took a swig from his flask and lit the cigarette that was hanging from his mouth. "Yeah, I very clearly remember having to help the engineers reattach limbs to you and the others after you jumped that column of IFVS."

" _ **NOT MY FAULT, YOU PUT US INTO ASSAULT MODE."**_ The bot's head returned to its normal position. " _ **I MISS THEM YOU KNOW. OUR SQUAD. SHAME YOU DIDN'T REACH OUT TO D. LEAVING HIM BEHIND IN THE CITY WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A WORD? NOT THE TRADEMARK OF A SERGEANT WHO LOOKS AFTER HIS OLD WAR BUDDIES."**_

Hatch moved one of Dozer's arms up and wiped the mud off with a damp cloth, smoke puffing from his mouth as he talked. "D? You kidding me? That guy would've been fired day four."

The commander paused and let some smoke billow out of the corner of his mouth. "Besides, I had to get out of there. Had I been working in the city any longer… Shit, I don't know what would have happened."

Dozer looked down and cocked his head to the side. " _ **IT WAS GOOD WORK BEN."**_

"Yeah, 'good work.' Guns for hire, debt collectors. More like blood money."

" _ **AND THIS IS ANY DIFFERENT? STILL BEING PAID TO SHOOT STUFF."**_ The doll chuckled. _**"HAVING A BUNCH OF THIRSTY DOLLS DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.**_ "

Hatch paused with a raised eyebrow. "Look, what're you trying to get at? What is it you want?"

" _ **FOR SOMEONE AS SMART AS YOU ARE, YOU'RE INCREDIBLY SLOW WITH THIS, BEN. THE BETTER QUESTION IS, WHAT DO**_ **YOU** _ **WANT? HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO CONSIDER WHY WE HAVE THESE LITTLE CONVERSATIONS?"**_ The bot's visors narrowed. _**WHY YOU JUST SAW YOUR DEAD DAD?"**_

Hatch sat there dumbfounded for a few moments and eyed the half-filled whiskey flask on one of the workbenches. He looked at the flask then back at the Aegis. "Am I going crazy?"

" _ **NOW THAT, IS A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER TIME. OUR SPECIAL GUEST IS HERE."**_ Dozer's head returned to its normal position as a series of boot taps echoed behind Hatch. Hatch didn't bother to confirm who the guest was, he already knew.

M4A1. The doll stepped into the light and stopped to look at the weird artwork on the back of Hatch's flight suit. A Grim Reaper with large sunglasses cackled away atop an F22 as it chased after various foreign aircraft.

"Dushman? What does that mean?" She peered at the art.

Hatch continued his work and pointed to his back with a free hand. "It's Russian for 'enemy.' It was my dad's nickname when he was in the Air Force. During the Soviet-Afghan War, the Soviets used to call the Mujahadeen that." Hatch gave a weak chuckle. "Pops had a cruel sense of humor. Thought it was Karma killing his own people using that name."

M4 cocked her head to the side and examined the faded artwork further. "Had?"

"Yeah, he died during the war. Shot down during his last mission."

The doll looked down at the floor for a few seconds. "Oh, I'm sorry Commander Hatch. I, I didn't mean to pry—"

" _ **WELL, YOU KINDA DID."**_

Hatch finished his cigarette and put it out under his boot. "It's fine, it happened years ago. I'm long done with my mourning."

" _ **WHICH IS WHY YOU SAW HIM AGAIN."**_

M4A1 nervously brushed a few strands of her hair out of her face. "Oh, well I just wanted to stop by to inform you of what's been going on." She looked around confused for a few moments. "Was there someone else here earlier?"

" _ **YES, AND WE WERE NICE AND FINE UNTIL YOU INTERRUPTED US."**_

"Nah, I just talk to myself when I work, you're good. What's up?" Hatch returned his attention to Dozer and kept wiping down appendages.

M4 found a nearby bench and sat down resting her assault rifle in her lap as she did so. "SOP2 is resting right now. She needed some things tuned up and will be ready for combat operations first thing in the morning. Chief Engineer Browning's going to get intel out of Scarecrow tonight and hopefully, that will be enough to give us a fix on the locations of 15 and 16." She paused. "He was… adamant about not being interrupted."

" _ **THAT DOLL IS AS GOOD AS DEAD. OR SHE'LL WANT TO BE BY THE END OF IT."**_

"Good." Hatch closed a panel on Dozer's leg. So far the bot had not sustained any real damage so work had been thankfully light, save for a few dents and some bolts that jutted out here and there.

"I also wanted to say thank you for your help. The militia leader sounded really angry when he called you up during the briefing-"

"Sergei can go fuck himself, it's not your fault. Did he honestly think they'd just sit there forever and the war wouldn't come this way? Griffin is already over there shoring up the defense and helping with aid. You heard Beska, they're thankful." Hatch let a puff of smoke out of his nostrils before stepping on the cigarette butt. "You're important, remember?"

M4 nodded. "Well, all the same. It's good to know someone cares. Not many would go that far for dolls." She looked at Dozer, taking notice of the fact that the doll had been staring at her the whole time. "But it seems like you're an exception based on the team you have."

"' _ **TEAM'?"**_

"We're more than a team, we're family. All of these dolls are mine to care for and they're of no use to me if they're busted or neglected." Hatch closed another panel on Dozer's leg before moving to wipe down another appendage. "Dozer's living proof of what happens when you don't waste your dolls."

M4A1 thought long and hard over the words she had heard, a small feeling of envy overcoming her. She washed the feeling away and raised an eyebrow at the Aegis. "I've never seen someone care for an Aegis doll like that. Where did you happen to come across a GA model? I thought contractors weren't allowed to own them."

" _ **HE DOESN'T OWN ME. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON KEEPING YOUR TEAM TOGETHER BEFORE WORRYING ABOUT OTHERS."**_

"Dozer? Dozer's been my friend for years. He was one of my dolls in the military and kept me safe through countless missions. When it was time to go I bribed some engineers and took his core with me. They thought I was crazy, but I wasn't about to leave him behind." Hatch chuckled. "Years later? Michael had the body, and I had the core. Why? You think we should turn him in?"

" _ **SHE BETTER NOT."**_

M4A1 smiled. "No, especially not after he was so quick to respond to the tactical information I gave him during the fight with Executioner. I didn't think he'd work with me like that."

" _ **IT WAS BENEFICIAL."**_

"I thought so, I was kinda surprised by that little trick of yours." Ben gave a thumbs up. "Pretty damn impressive."

"Really? It was pretty simple. You were really good out there too. It's not usual to see a human commander on the field. Then again, I've never worked with one before."

Hatch finished securing some bolts and closed the last few panels on Dozer. A quick glance at a nearby display module revealed that there were no outstanding issues with the bot save for a battery recharge and combat data upload. Michael could help with that.

"Well, consider yourself part of the team, then. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other plenty out in the field." Hatch extended a hand. "And how knows, maybe we can teach a thing or two to one another."

" _ **IF YOU REALLY THINK THAT'S WISE."**_

M4A1 got up off her bench and made her way over to the commander. She glanced at his hand for a few moments then extended her own. "Thank you, Commander Hatch. I look forward to our new alliance. I'm sure the other members of AR team will like it here as much as I do."

The two exchanged a handshake and for a few moments, Hatch felt like the doll was reluctant to let go, only expediting the process once someone cleared their throat from nearby. Calico and Thunder.

" _ **FINALLY, SOME NORMALCY."**_

"Well, glad to see we're making friends here." Calico raised an eyebrow at the handshake prompting M4A1 and Hatch to let go. If Thunder cared, she didn't show, choosing instead to push past M4A1 and give her commander a hug.

"Look, Ben, I have both my arms now. Now I can hold onto you better." The doll buried her face in his chest.

Hatch took his gloves before returning the hug. "Yeah, I can see. Looking right as rain!" He looked over at Calico with a smug expression. "And you do too. I guess you could say you're… back on your feet."

Calico rolled her eyes. "Really have me in stitches, Ben. Now hurry up with the killbot, you promised us an evening and it's been forever since we had time to rehearse."

"I did?"

"Yes, you dolt. Remember? A day ago?"

"Ohh."

M4A1 stood there and watched intently as Hatch spoke with his dolls. She took note of the genuine care in his eyes and the obvious energy he had around them. He didn't treat them like objects or tools, and she could see it in the happiness they displayed.

All the same, this was their home, not hers. She had no place in this doll bowed her head slightly and picked up her rifle, silently excusing herself to go retire for the evening.

And think about the lingering feeling of envy she had.

* * *

 **S09 MAINTENANCE BAY**

Zas stifled a yawn as she stood by a particular room. Whereas the regular maintenance bay was a familiar and cozy place, the reinforced walls of the High-Risk room were cold and clinical. The room was originally designed for isolating dangerous operations, increased security operations, and if necessary, disposal operations. In today's case, a dangerous doll required increased security and maybe immediate disposal. But Zas could not make such a call. She was there to keep things in… and keep M4 SOPMOD II out.

Inside, G36 watched as Chief Engineer Browning did his work. Although she was too far to hear what was going on at the operating table, she kept rapt attention for any errant twitch from the operating table. Her FCS* was locked-on and ready. If anything awry were to happen, she would fire without hesitation.

In the center of the room was Scarecrow, strapped down to an operating table like a crazed mental patient. Her arms, legs, chest, torso, they were all held down by heavy-duty straps and locked firmly in place. Near the base of her neck were a number of cables that lead to Michael's laptop, of which the engineer was tapping away at. Beside him, a palm-sized voice recorder.

"Log Two, fourteen-hundred hours. Michael Browning as interrogator. Subject is Sangvis Ferri Ringleader named 'Scarecrow.' Subject, please confirm your identity."

"I'll humor this, for now, human. I am Sanvgis Ferri Doll SP65, codenamed Scarecrow."

"Scarecrow. What is your objective here?"

"To get out of this bed, for one. It's chafing my arms."

"What is your objective in regards to Tactical Doll M4A1?"

"I just want to talk to her! Honest."

"Explain the purpose of Sangvis operations in Sector Oh-Nine."

"Just taking a walk, exterminating eyesores as we come across them." She turned her head to look at Michael, giving him a wry smile. "Hey, tell me, what's it like to be subservient to that man? These puppet dolls, I understand, but you seem to be so~ much more..."

"What is AR Team's importance to Sangvis Ferri?"

"How does it feel to be second chair to a man like him? Doesn't it bother you that that lummox is in command? With a man of your talents, I'm sure you can go much further than he ever could."

"What is significant about M4A1's data?"

"Oh, the things I could do for you, if you just let me go. Is it pleasure you seek? Power? I can give you both. In fact, just let my hand loose and I can show you all the wonderful things you're missing…" Scarecrow purred.

With a quiet sigh, Michael tapped the recorder to pause.

"Oh? Thinking of taking up my offe—"

"You should understand one thing: I am not Commander Hatch." Michael spoke, staring down at the Doll. "He has a certain view on Dolls that I can respect and appreciate, and while I agree with his treatment of the girls, we still differ one some things."

"So?"

Michael looked to his laptop, at the command he had typed but not executed yet. He tapped Enter.

A quiet hiss came from around Scarecrow's mid-thigh, causing the Sangvis doll's eyes to widen in alarm.

"W-what did you do?!" Scarecrow craned her neck to check, but she could not see what happened. "What did you do to me?!"

"Some time ago, when Sangvis Ferri was still a regular producer of Dolls and without the whole 'Kill All Humans' policy, I did some contract work with them. Looks like the old backdoors and commands still work, even if it has to be on the console."

He lifted up a pale leg in black cloth. Her own leg, detached from mid-thigh down. Before she could respond, Michael brought the other leg into view. As tight as she was strapped down, Scarecrow could budge barely a millimeter in place. It took all her processing power not to scream at the man.

"Stop! Put that back! I demand you put that back!" She struggled against the straps, fruitless though her efforts were. "You goddamn human! Who the fuck do you think you are—!

With a second command, she lost her voice. Her mouth moved; words formed at her lips, but no sound came. Hot indignation chilled into shivering fear. She understood now, that while the commander could destroy her, this man could dismantle her piece by piece and leave her rotting away as parts. Worse, he could shatter her very digimind and sift through the pieces, leaving her a vegetable at best. A terrible, ignoble end.

Michael placed the legs down on the desk, returning to his seat and scooting closer to the Ringleader. He met her panicked look with one of stone.

"Another thing to understand: I am going to get that information, one way or another. While Hatch would prefer you give it to us freely, I can and will dig it out of your digimind. We are also on a time limit. The kind folks at mainside are very eager to get their hands on you, and they will be far less kind than anyone here. We just want information; they want to know how you tick."

He leaned back, crossing his arms.

"We're running out of time, Scarecrow. Cooperate, and it will be in your favor. Resist, and we'll still get that information, even if we have to strip it bit by bit from every inch of your digimind."

A muted buzz interrupted him, drawing his attention to his phone. Whatever message on it brought a look of mild annoyance to his face.

"Looks like we will have to continue this at a different date." He put the phone down and waved to G36. "I'll reattach the legs later. Think about it. Good kids get ice cream and cheesecake."

Even when he re-enabled her voice, Scarecrow remained silent as Michael began extracting information from her core.

* * *

 **HATCH'S ROOM**

"Alright, girls, I think that's good." Hatch removed the strap from his guitar and carefully set it back into its case.

Meanwhile, Spitfire quickly got up from her chair and clapped her hands almost causing her top hat to fall off. "Good? That was tops!" She ran over to Thunder, the doll having just put away the sticks for her drum set. "Thunder, you've gotten even better at the sticks too! I got all of that on recording, love."

"Well, it's only been thanks to you and the others." Thunder smiled warmly. "I can't take all the credit."

"Don't be so humble. You always had the talent, we just got you to break out of your shell and use it." Calico responded matter of factly as she got comfortable on the couch. "Now we just gotta end this war and take this little gaggle of ours out to the big leagues."

Hatch reached into his fridge and took out a beer. "Yeah, 'big leagues'. Calico, I told you before, we're not gonna get famous off that stuff. Maybe play at some local bars or small venues on the side."

He popped the top off the ice-cold beverage and took a swig before getting comfortable on the edge of his bed. "Speaking of big leagues. Thunder I got done talking to Zas earlier. Your request to transfer over to Echelon 1?"

Thunder held her hands in anticipation, ignoring the amused look Hatch was giving her.

"Granted. Make sure you get with Nagant Revolver at some point. You'll be swapping with her."

Thunder jumped nearly to the ceiling in joy and would have pounced Hatch, were it not for the fact that he quickly pointed at Calico. "Her call, not mine, by the way. I was all for it, but ultimately the decision rested with her."

Calico was just about to put her hand up, but it was too late. In an instant, she was in Thunder's arms being showered with thank you's and promises of stellar performance. In the end, the echelon leader could only grimace at Hatch and pat her new charge on the back.

Spitfire enjoyed the display with folded arms. "See, I told you you'd get approved. Always such a worrywart."

"Yeah, yeah. Alright champ, that's enough. Remember what we talked about earlier." Calico finally got Thunder to calm down and pointed at Spitfire. "Now go get settled in for the evening. We can talk about it more tomorrow."

Thunder rapidly nodded her head and ran over to Hatch to give him one last hug. "Okay, Ben, goodnight. I'll see you in the morning!"

The doll then skipped off with Spitfire following suit and closing the door behind her. Once the ruckus died down Hatch raised an eyebrow at Calico.

"That easy? You must've made one hell of a bargain to get her to leave so early." He took another swig from his bottle. "So I'm guessing you must either want me for yourself tonight, or?"

"I have things to say? I mean, Ben." Calico put her hands up incredulously. "I almost lost you today. One minute we're taking it easy at base and the next we're rescuing special dolls and fighting Sangvis Ferri Ringleaders. You'll have to excuse me if I'm a bit wired."

Hatch finished his beer and grabbed another one before making his way over towards the couch and sitting next to the distraught doll. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

"Well, you didn't. I'm still alive, what's done is done."

"Is it?" Calico got comfortable and held Hatch's hand in hers. "Ben, I couldn't even keep you safe, there are more ringleaders out there. What's not to say they won't be stronger? What happens then?"

"Then we'll take our licks and give em back two-fold." Hatch responded with a smirk. "You think we're not gonna get stronger too? Your job isn't to solely keep me safe, Calico. You have a team to lead. Between Dozer, all the other girls, and myself, I think I'm in good hands."

Calico looked up at Hatch. "And what if Dozer's not there? What if something happens to him?"

Hatch sat there and thought about the question for a few moments. "Then we're probably all fucked anyway. That's a lucky doll right there, Calico. He didn't make it this far over nothing." He gripped Calico's hand tightly. "Whatever comes up ahead, we're going to get through it. Good and bad."

"You're always so sure, always so confident. Like everything is gonna turn out fine in the end. That's what I hate about you." Calico sighed, but as she raised her hand to Hatch's cheek, her lips formed a smile. "But it's also what I love about you. You're stubborn, like me."

"If I wasn't I would've died years ago." Hatch finished his beer and set it down on a nearby nightstand. With his other arm free, he was finally able to properly hold the doll. "That's how my dad always did things. Guess it must've rubbed off on me."

"And how thankful I am for him giving me a man like you." Calico gave Hatch a long kiss before pulling away and resting her head under his chin. "The stupid boy who fell in love with a doll."

"You make that sound rare like Grizzly and Doogan don't have something going on either. There are a crap ton of people out there who get dolls for the sole purpose of having the perfect partner." Hatch smiled. "It's humans who should be thankful if you ask me. Doll technology changed our world."

Calico's face flushed red. "Damnit Ben, how do you always know what to say?"

"A few months playing witty word games against you might have done it." Hatch chuckled."Shit, I gotta learn to start almost dying more if it gets me more moments like this."

Calico gave him a playful punch and frowned. "Don't push your luck, Benjy. Don't think I forgot about you talking to that weird doll earlier."

"Geez, she's not weird Calico. She's just… eh." Hatch scrunched his face, trying to think of a better description.

Calico rolled her eyes. "Weird? We still know almost nothing about her save for the fact that she can't keep tabs on her own team and is apparently important enough to warrant multiple ringleaders coming at her. Now here she is getting buddy-buddy with you."

"Hey now, she's just trying to fit in. We're all on the same team. If you got lost, I wouldn't care how many ringleaders came after you, I'd still help."

Calico huffed and pursed her lips. "Well, she can do it another way. She was practically fangirling. Ben, I might be a doll, but I still have all the bells and whistles a woman has. That includes the intuition."

"Heh, yeah you sure do." Hatch playfully squeezed one of her legs. "Very nice bells and whistles."

"Of course, back to basics." Calico rolled her eyes. "That's my horndog commander."

Hatch threw his hand up incredulously. "What? I almost died!"

"So that gets you in the mood?"

"...A bit yeah."

Calico groaned and made her way over to the door eliciting a look of regret in Hatch's eyes. "What, was it something I said?"

"Oh yes, I'm totally going to let you turn me on and leave." Calico locked the door. "You could at least make sure we won't be interrupted. Last thing we need is another fiasco with 41 or Thunder running in on us. It's bad enough Dozer stares at us sometimes." The doll shuddered. "Thank god he's getting his batteries recharged."

"Ah, smart! That's why you're the leader of Echelon 1!" Hatch clapped his hands.

"God, you're such a cornball."

"Yes, but I'm _**your**_ cornball."

Calico ignored the joke and made her way to the bathroom. She paused for a few moments before glancing back at Hatch. She untied her hair and let it all hang down past her shoulders before slowly loosening her clothes and letting them fall to the floor. She stood at the door frame for a few moments, enjoying the looks Hatch was giving her. "At least come shower. Cornball or not, you're not getting anywhere all scuffed up like that." She dimmed her voice to a whisper and smiled. "Mikhail."

Hatch quickly got up and cracked his knuckles, preparing himself for the night of RnR he and his artificial partner desperately needed. "Hey, say no more."

* * *

 **A RUINED TOWN SOMEWHERE NEAR S09**

Amidst an old, wrecked building, STAR15 and M16 sat in silence as they checked their gear. It had been hours since the last Sangvis Ferri attack and they were getting dangerously low on ammo. The enemy showed no signs of faltering either; another attack would undoubtedly come soon.

STAR inserted another magazine into her sidearm before glancing outside the broken window she had taken cover behind. "This is ridiculous. Why don't they just come out and fight us?"

"Because it's far easier for them to just keep sending wave after wave of mindless drones at us." M16 reached into her jacket and pulled out a cigar. She lit the tobacco and savored the taste for a few moments before sighing. "Not to mention, they're entertained by it."

STAR scoffed in irritation. "Typical Sangvis trash. Always have to make things a show."

"Yeah, well if they want a show they'll get one." M16 slapped a fresh magazine into her assault rifle. "I just hope M4 and SOP2 are okay."

STAR brought her rifle up and onto the windowsill and scoped in at the city streets beyond. Every so often she caught a glimpse of shapes darting through the darkness. "I'm sure they're fine. They can handle themselves."

M16 shook her head and blew out a puff of smoke before taking up position next to her comrade. "Always the pragmatic. You really never change, STAR." She used her good eye to scan ahead as she brought her weapon up.

"How many this time?"

"The usual, but it looks like _**they**_ have decided to join this time. Guess they got bored of sitting back."

"Or agitated we keep kicking their butts."

M16 sighted in down the street and towards the area the enemy would come streaming through. "Time to give them that show they were looking for."

* * *

 **TERMS USED:**

 **PMCS-Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services.**

 **FCS-Fire Control System**

* * *

 **Well, here we are again. A reviewer brought up something I thought was worth mentioning, the pacing. That is to say, how fast we went from Hatch showing up to already having a coherent team. Or the fact that STAR and M16 are together. To the reviewer? I honestly wish I could have given all of you that.**

 **Truth is, had I REALLY taken my time, we still wouldn't be at the M4 rescue. Any of you who have read my previous work know I love that calm before the storm, that solid foundation before the stakes get raised. After all, what good are characters if you don't get invested in them? We had to get things moving along here though. There's a lot of off the beaten path storytelling both myself and my editors want to share.**

 **Fanfiction is supposed to be a change to canon. Perhaps certain characters are challenged in ways they weren't before, events play out differently that cause a cascade of different outcomes. That's the stuff we're excited to share and we're trying to make sure we can get to all that in a proper manner. Believe me when I say, there will be PLENTY of empty gaps filled during that time skip that happened earlier on.**

 **Other besides that, Delilah's name, Crawford and Hatch's ancient Dinergate Flipjack? Whoops, no seriously, whoops. They were actually brought up in an older chapter and for some reason, the wrong draft was uploaded. The fixes have been added to the earlier chapter. Hopefully, new readers won't get as lost as all of you probably did.**

 **Thank god for online fixes amirit?**

 **Anyways, I'm digging the support people! Really loving the enthusiasm. It's those vibes that make writing even more fun. Hopefully, the next release won't take as long. Though who knows. I hope ya'll enjoy progress so far and I'll see YOU in the shitstorm that's coming next chapter.**

 **No seriously, hang on to your fucking seats. We're about to take you on a wild ride from here on.**


	11. Outbound

**Outbound**

" _From the labs of I.O.P to the modern battlefield of tomorrow comes the latest in mobile armored firepower. The Hydra, all the qualities of a Main Battle Tank right at an operator's fingertips. I.O.P, we shoulder the burden on the frontlines."_

IOP marketing advertisement over the latest in its T doll series.

 **A RUINED CITY SOMEWHERE NEAR S09**

Two Ringleaders watched from the shadows and within a nearby building as their forces continued to assault the two remaining members of AR team. The dolls were tenacious and despite being outnumbered they were putting up stiff resistance.

Not that it mattered, they'd run out of ammo and tricks eventually. Even then, there was no way they'd stand up against two Ringleaders at the same time.

"Where is he, why won't he show up?!"

"He'll arrive, mark my words. Though I don't understand what has you so worked up. It's not like Executioner is dead or anything-"

One of the Ringleaders stomped her heel. "It's not about that! He humiliated her with his stupid junk robot and discarded her like a piece of trash!"

The other Ringleader shrugged and leaned against her massive weapon. "Whatever you say. Just don't go doing anything stupid when the play begins. I don't need philistines ruining my drama."

"I won't, but rest assured the task of restoring Executioner's honor will be mine." The Ringleader clenched her fist. "I will handle them as they handled my friend."

Her comrade chuckled. "Regardless of what happens, it will be a show to remember."

"Yes, yes it will."

* * *

 **S09 BASE**

Hatch was a simple man with simple desires in life. To him, there was nothing better than the feeling of sleeping in after a long night of lovemaking with his woman. The warmth of Calico's skin and the bedsheets soothed the aching in Hatch's muscle; the hangover was more of an afterthought by this point. Moments like these often made Hatch forget he was in a PMC and had missions on the way. Half-awake, he sighed in content as he wrapped his arms around Calico, enjoying every last curve she had to offer. The doll shifted slightly against her lover and chuckled.

"You smell like booze and cigarettes. Gonna be impossible to get this scent off me."

Hatch looked over at the nightstand and scoffed at an empty rum bottle. "That's what morning showers after are for. Little bit of fun while we get clean? Two for one deal."

"Oh, look at you~! Quite the tactician." The doll pushed back against Hatch and before the surprised commander knew what was going on she was on top and pinning him down. She smirked and cocked her head to the side. "So tell me, mister tactician, what will you do now?"

Hatch tried to position his head so that some of Calico's hair would stop tickling his nose.

"Well, I have a few ideas."

The pair barely had time to further indulge themselves when reality came screaming down the hallway in the form of Kalina yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Commander Hatch! Commander Hatch! Urgent news from Chief Engineer Browning!" Kalina banged on the door as hard as she could. "Commander Hatch! Are you awake!? It's about the rest of the dolls! Michael found them!"

Hatch was just about to yell back when suddenly he heard the distant thuds of armored boots getting closer. It only took him a few moments to realize what was going on.

"Oh!? Oh dear! Dozer?! Please stop!"

When handling Dozer, one had to ensure the bot was properly set into hibernation. In the event of a sudden shutdown, older military dolls had a built-in failsafe that would force them to return to their operator's current or last known location. It was a great implementation on the battlefield and many an operator's life was saved when a doll they otherwise thought was destroyed came rushing back to their aid. It also meant that many an operator woke up screaming in the middle of the night when the door to their quarters was thrown off the hinges by a wayward doll seeking its master. All because someone forgot to type a few commands in. In this case, a sleep-deprived engineer back at the maintenance bay was likely the culprit.

The commander never even had time to reach for some boxers when the door to his room came flying through the air and into the opposite wall.

" _ **OBSTRUCTION REMOVED. MOVING TO REGROUP WITH OPERATOR."**_ The Aegis gave no heed to a screaming Calico as it stepped in through the shattered door frame and stomped its way over to its now agitated handler.

Hatch scrambled to get some boxers on as Thunder led a motley crew of curious dolls and Kalina into the room. Once the doll realized what was going on she gave Hatch and Calico a scornful look. "I am disappointed that I was left out of the festivities. This is a grave mistake that will cost both of you dearly."

Zas could only shake her head and click her tongue. "Do you see how Calico hogs the commandant to herself? The greed of Echelon 1's leader knows no bounds. We must put an end to such selfishness I think."

"He didn't even let 41 sleep in her favorite spot! Master, how could you?!"

"Do any of you have any grasp on the concept of privacy!?"

The irritated yells of both Calico and more dolls began to fill the room. Hatch's peaceful morning became a full-on nightmare.

"EVERYONE, SHUT THE HELL UP!"

All at once, every doll and Kalina promptly closed their mouths. Satisfied order was restored, Hatch began barking orders. "Everyone in the ops room, I want all hands accountability in fifteen!"

Nobody dared to question the irritated commander and in short order, all the intruders piled out leaving an irritated Hatch and Calico alone with Dozer. The couple exchanged tired glances before Hatch gave a weak smile.

"Well, quick in quick out huh?"

Hatch didn't have time to dodge as a pillow came flying across the bed and into his face.

* * *

 **OPERATIONS ROOM**

"Commander Ben, your coffee. Just the way you like it."

Hatch nodded as he graciously accepted the warm thermos handed to him by Springfield, a small bit of comfort in an otherwise terrible morning. Every doll that served under Hatch was present as was any necessary support personnel. M4A1 and SOP2 were also present.

Hatch pointed at the images of M16A1 and ST AR15 on the giant screen with a laser pointer as he got up from his chair.

"Alright, so these are the last two members of M4's team. As you all know by now, it's fallen to us to get them out of whatever shit-filled ditch they've gotten themselves into. And ladies?" Hatch looked around at every doll present. "They have gotten themselves into quite the ditch."

Kalina quickly changed the display and the dossiers of ST AR15 and M16A1 were replaced by the aerial image of a town swarming with hostile signatures."Mainside just sent a UAV over to the coordinates we were able to get out of Scarecrow. Good news: our friends aren't too far."

Zas folded her arms."And the bad news?"

Kalina zoomed the image further and red boxes highlighted two distinct signatures leading the enemy. A few dolls stifled gasps while others cracked their knuckles for the fight ahead. "Ladies, no, your eyes don't deceive you. Those are two Ringleaders on the same field. M4 and SOP have fought them before so I'm going to let them take the stage."

Hatch moved to the other side of the screen and made room for M4 and SOP, the former clearing her throat as she took center stage. "Good morning, I trust all of you rested well and I hope all of this hasn't been an inconvenience to you—"

Zas scoffed. "Get on with it, if you please."

"Hey! You show my sister respect!" SOP scowled as she pointed a mechanical finger at the echelon leader.

"Or else what?"

"I'll make you!"

Hatch cleared his throat loudly. "Zas, back off. SOP2, you're not doing anything. M4, proceed."

M4 nodded. "Thank you, Commander. These two dolls, these Ringleaders, are Intruder and Hunter. They are in a league quite different from Executioner and Scarecrow."

A series of whispers broke out among the dolls. Taking on Ringleaders one at a time was one thing, but two simultaneously was a different matter. Many of the dolls still bore some old scars, both mental and physical, from the last fight.

"My team and I fought them once. Though we achieved victory, it wasn't easy. Hunter has incredible speed and accuracy. Intruder likes to provide long-range support from behind her troops. It makes for a dangerous combination."

SOP pointed at one of the red boxes with her mechanical hand. "The good news is, only one of them has a command and control module, Intruder. Hunter generally pairs up with other ringleaders who can command dolls. This way she can focus on being support or the spearhead if necessary. She's a tricky little rat."

SOP looked at Dozer and snickered. "Oh and she's also really close with Executioner. I'm sure she's really angry after what happened in the town. She's already a cocky pain in the ass, maybe we can use that anger and force her into mistakes."

"Yeah, I've got a knack for pissing people off." Hatch lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. "So then, we destroy Intruder and the dominos come falling down?"

M4 nodded in agreement. "Doing so won't be easy. There'll be a large number of units that she'll put in between herself and us. Then, of course, there's the issue with Hunter."

Hatch rubbed his chin. "So, a two-pronged assault. We split the teams up. Two echelons handle Intruder and the tarpit, AR team handles intruder and the last one deals with Hunter."

Zas stood up from her chair. "Commandant, my echelon stands ready for the task of Intruder's forces. We specialize in defending highly contested areas. There can be none better for this."

G41's ears perked up as she gave a salute. "Echelon 3 would like to support them master! Springfield and WA are best in the defense and A91's firepower would be most beneficial!"

"So then that leaves you, Echelon 1." Hatch smirked. "Echelon leader Calico, you think your girls can tag a speedster?"

Calico paused from patting Thunder on the head and rolled her eyes. "Of course. So long as Cinnamon roll and her loose cannon over there stay in their lane and knock out the command unit."

SOP only grinned from ear to ear. M4, on the other hand, looked less than amused.

"The commander is not going anywhere. Not with that wound on his chest." Locklear interlocked her hands and narrowed her gaze on Hatch. "I'm not budging on this. Doctor's orders."

"That's no good, no good at all!" G41's ears drooped down. "We need him for this fight!" All of the other dolls exchanged nervous glances and nodded in agreement as chatter began to break out.

Calico folded her arms. "We still haven't even gotten the combat data uploaded from our previous clash. This should be an all-hands mission."

"And if he strains himself too hard, then what? You'll have a casualty on your hands."

Further chatter was halted as Hatch put a hand up to get everyone's attention. "Well, there _**is**_ another way. It's not flawless, but it'll get the job done." The Commander looked over at Michael. "I mean, it'll work right?"

Michael paused from reading his notes and raised an eyebrow. "What, the remote handle? Yeah, it works, but I've got no clue how long the signal will remain stable. There's bound to be ECM in the area."

Hatch shrugged. "That's a risk we're gonna have to run with. If anything, Dozer will just reboot back to default state."

M4 cocked her head to the side in curiosity, a gesture more than a few other dolls had mirrored. "Remote handle?"

"Yeah, older military tech. Once dolls became standard in most units all sorts of wacky shit started getting pumped out of RnD. One of those projects involved allowing operators to remote control any doll under their charge. Probably one of the better projects the military drummed up. A military doll with some human brain behind it can be a surprisingly nasty little bit of business."

"Until shit latency kicks in. Then you might have a doll moving five seconds later due to input lag." Michael put his tablet down as he continued on. "A short loss of connectivity causes Dozer to reboot to autonomous mode just as you reconnect, leaving him standing there all the longer as the handshake goes through again. ECM renders this all useless, leaving Dozer without an operator to get commands from. Plenty of ways to go awry. All that aside, we still have the issue of getting him on-site, unless Doogan figured out a solution already?"

Doogan gave a thumbs up from across the briefing table. Throughout the entire briefing both him and his crew had been listening intently. Until someone made mention of AA, CAS missions or bad weather, there wasn't really much for them to say. "No problem! Grizz found the harness. We can just sling-load ya under the belly. Once we're in the LZ, we'll drop em', his shock absorbers will handle the rest."

"Seems good to me, just don't drop me..erm Dozer? Into anything." Hatch folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at Locklear. "That good enough for you, doc?"

The doctor popped the tab on a soda given to her by K11 and shrugged. "I do not see why not. Guess there's use to breaking the rules after all. Let us hope that command does not see the bot."

"We've been lucky so far." Hatch returned his attention to his personnel. "Alright, echelon leaders you know the music! It's time to dance. I want gear checks and status reports sent up ASAP. Echelon 1, M4, SOP, you're with me and the helicopter. The rest of you are gonna go by truck. Doogan, I forwarded the coordinates to your nav-station. Support teams, I want you on standby in case we need to do a hot drop of casualties. Kalina, you got comms duty. Make sure you update mainside as the situation develops."

Hatch paused and looked over at a brooding G36 standing in one of the corners of the room. "36, a while ago you made mention of how you never get sent out. Today's your day, you're gonna be with Zas's team." The commander gave a sly smile. "Unless you want to keep sweeping floors."

G36 brought her rifle to port arms and stood proud. "Nein commandant. It would be an honor to serve alongside my sisters!"

"Then that's that." Hatch paced in front of the screen and made eye contact with each and every doll he was about to send into the inferno. "Look, I know. The last fight was hell and now we're going to do it again, against even stronger ringleaders. Crazy, right? Yeah, yeah it is pretty fucking crazy. Damn near suicidal."

The commander smirked. "But you know what? That's how we roll ladies and I can't find a finer group of dolls—no, soldiers to serve alongside. Word's already going around about our last stunt. Just watch what happens after this. We're gonna be rolling in the big bucks-"

"Big bucks!?" Kalina looked up from her tablet with a half crazed look in her eyes. She always got like this with money.

Hatch nodded. "Yeah..big bucks. Even better, think of all the combat data you're gonna have uploaded. Gonna turn into a bunch of goddamn Terminators."

His words definitely had an effect on morale, the dolls visibly filling with courage. M4A1 could only watch with growing curiosity as the commander continued his speech. There was something about that man, something in his words that she had never experienced before. She needed to find out why.

"We're gonna be fine, girls. Stick with your sisters, you know what to do. Now let's get out there and tear shit up."

All of the dolls gave a triumphant cheer before running out of the ops room, leaving Hatch alone with the human personnel. Michael pushed himself off his chair and hobbled towards the door, his exo whining quietly with his movement. "Nice words coming from someone who won't be fixing everyone afterward." The engineer sighed tiredly as he waved for Biscuit to follow. "Let's get you plugged in. This should be interesting."

Hatch took a swig from his flask. "Yeah, something like that."

* * *

 **MOTOR POOL**

Rock music from way before anyone's time filled the large bay as the dolls prepared for the fight ahead. Gear was checked, magazines were filled, and all necessary comms were uploaded onto local channels. Any and all fanciful clothing or otherwise civilian grooming standards had long been done away with. Hair was tied into buns and GnK issued combat gear was donned, what once looked like just a normal gaggle of girls now looked like a professional infantry unit.

Away from the rest of the echelons, the two members of AR team were on their own. They hadn't fully earned the trust of the base yet, and gearing up next to the others had felt awkward. M4A1 ensured the MOLLE pouches on her newly issued plate carrier were secured before filling them with a few stacks of magazines. Meanwhile, SOP2 ensured hers with packed to the brim with grenades for her underbarrel launcher. She might run out of rounds, but she'd never be seen lacking heavy ordinance. The doll slapped a magazine into her weapon before glancing over at M4A1. "That Commander Hatch sure has a way with words. I'm all fired up! How about you M4? How are you feeling?"

"A lot better than before." M4 looked through her holographic sight ensuring it was in working order. "It's been too long since we've seen the others. I look forward to reuniting with them." The team leader continued to double-check her gear for a few moments before pausing and looking over at the rest of the doll. "SOP, do you ever think we'll be like them?"

"Whaddya mean 'like them?'" SOP2 raised an eyebrow.

"I mean—" M4 sighed. "Look at them, SOP. Look at this base. Don't you see it?"

SOP shook her head. "I don't get what you're trying to say M4. We're a team, we're family. What is it they have we don't?"

"A team leader that doesn't get them into situations like this. Someone who can keep us together?"

"M4." SOP put a hand on her concerned team leader's shoulder. "What happened with Agent, it wasn't your fault. If the enemy gets a hold of you it's all over. We all did what we had to do."

M4 shook her head. "Well, I'm tired of it. I want to be someone who can be relied on, someone who can rally us together. I want to feel like everything doesn't hinge on me for once." She pointed at the dolls beyond. "Look at them, SOP. See how they're a cohesive family unit?"

"And we're not? M4 I don't understand. After all we've done and the countless missions we've accomplished? How are we not a cohesive team?"

M4 shook her head. "You don't get it SOP. It's not like what they have."

"Well then, we'll just have to learn what it is, together." SOP gave a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "I like it here. I say we get M16 and STAR back and stay for a while. Learn from the others. I'm sure Commander Hatch can teach you everything you need to know if you ask him."

M4 looked back with hope. "You think so?"

"I know so. So stop being all mopey and put some fire in you! We got butts to kick and family members to save!"

Suddenly a loud voice boomed from behind and with it came a series of loud thuds on the concrete. "You're absolutely right, SOP. _ **"**_

All of the dolls in the bay including M4 and SOP stood slack-jawed at the sight of Dozer at the entrance. The big bot was completely kitted up for total war. There wasn't a single spot on the doll not occupied by some strapped down weapon or satchel of explosives. One hand grasped Executioner's old sword, the other had an M240 machine gun by the carrying handle. Dozer, or someone controlling Dozer, hefted the sword onto its shoulder and cocked its head to the side.

"Now then, girls, I believe we have some dolls to go save."

Calico scoffed from within the group and made her way to the front with arms crossed and Thunder by her side. "Nice entrance, but let me get one thing straight. I'm not accepting this as your permanent form, got it? I want the old Ben back soon as this is over."

Thunder nodded in agreement, a gesture many of the other dolls repeated in kind.

The Hatch-controlled Aegis laughed and nodded its head. "Of course, now then. Anyone else have any requests?"

None of the dolls had anything more to say. Hatch was controlling Dozer and that really was all there was to it. The how and the why of it could be answered later.

"Alright, mount up then!"

All of the echelons hurried to their respective vehicles. In moments, a Blackhawk and two MRAPs went speeding out from the base, leaving the rest of the remaining personnel to watch as they disappeared off into the distance.

Kalina held her datapad close to her chest and shot a concerned glance at Michael. "Do you think they're going to be okay?"

Michael shrugged before starting on his way back to the maintenance wing. "Yeah, probably. Sorry, no time to chat. I got Hatch all wired up so I need to go monitor him."

"'Yeah, probably'." Kalina shook her head and sighed before heading indoors, but not before stopping to take a look at the greying sky above. She could just barely make out white specks slowly drifting down. The adjutant mused on the changing weather and shrugged.

"Here comes the snow."

* * *

 **Yeah, I know. Short chapter, not much happened and it took forever for this to get sent out. You know how I like my pacing though. Cramming a giant ass fight and everything else would have made this chapter massive.**

 **Honestly, work has been a bitch and a half with scheduling. Fortunately I'm on a good routine and moving into a four day weekend. Long story short next chapter should be out sooner than this one.**

 **On another note. It's been brought to my attention that we haven't seen more of the other dolls. I agree, which is why these next few chapters are going to do just that. Make no mistake, Calico might be the "main squeeze" but the other dolls are just as important to their commander. We'll see just why here soon.**

 **Anyways another sorry for the late update and standby for more to come. Take it easy and thanks for being patient loyal readers.**


	12. Maelstrom

**Shout to my editor for all the fixing he had to do. No seriously, what you're about to read is a MUCH cleaner chapter than what I originally pushed out. Not sure why my brain went haywire, I think I just had too much jumbling in my brain. Regardless, I just realized It's been a year from when I first started this story...**

 **And I still haven't gotten to the fun stuff yet, holy shit. Time to step up my pacing, next chapter will wrap up this mini-arc and then it's off to greener pastures. Thanks to all the favorites and follows I've been getting, ya'll always brighten my day when I get the E-mail notifications.**

 **Now then, time for some action I know you guys have been craving.**

* * *

 **Maelstrom**

" _After the War, the various nations of the world banded together, forming coalitions in order to survive. As a result of these formations, a balance of power started to emerge that has more or less kept some semblance of order in these trying times. As of now, there are four great powers: Rocksert, the Western EU, the Pan-Asian Coalition and the Soviet Union. Though none of these powers have engaged in open hostilities, there have been several flashpoints and proxy wars for quite some time. Nobody wants another great war and everyone was focused on the greater threat: the ELID and Collapse Clouds..."_

Excerpt from Neo New York Times bestseller: The World We Live In

 **S09 BORDER**

"Ben? You good down there? You've been quiet for a while."

A Hatch-controlled Dozer looked up at the helicopter above and gave a thumbs up. "Oh, I'm just fucking fine. Just make sure Doogan doesn't drop me."

Calico giggled at her boyfriend's displeasure. "No promises."

SOP stuck her head out of the troop bay and waved down. "Hi Commander! You look like a dangling minnow!"

"Or a piece of Candy Rope!" FFC chimed in.

"None of you are helping right now."

Hatch hated helicopters. Everything about them screamed death trap, so it was little surprise that being dangled underneath one was leagues worse than being an occupant. The link between him and Dozer was rather unsettling in just how "there" it made him feel, so it did little to calm his nerves. Doogan's flying wasn't helping, nor was the banter coming from Dima and Khadrov.

More than once, it felt as if Doogan was far too low to the dirt and Hatch could only watch in horror as he came speeding dangerously close to smacking into a tree. The Russian brothers above would laugh and things would proceed as normal. Such was the price of keeping a low radar profile. It must have been quite the view for the trucks below, seeing an armored behemoth swing to and fro from underneath a helicopter.

Still, the view was amazing from where Hatch was, especially with the snow coming down. The mixture of green and white in the forests reminded him of home. Winter was always the best time back at the farm. Mom's home-cooked meals by the fireplace in the living room...

"Commander Hatch, this is mainside. Status report."

The sudden burst of static accompanying Helian's voice snapped Hatch out of his reminiscing. "We're on our way to the coordinates we got out of Scarecrow. Shouldn't be long now. What's the status on support? We going in this alone?"

"Most of the other commanders are tasked with other missions or otherwise unavailable to assist. I _**will**_ be, however, detailing a Predator drone to your teams, but I cannot give you an ETA on when that will be. It just came back for re-supply and refit from a previous operation." The executive cleared her throat. "I take it you still haven't gotten contact with M16A1 and ST AR-15?"

"Negative, ma'am. Their long-range comms are probably busted same as M4's was."

Helian sighed. "Roger, mainside out." Hatch cut the transmission then changed channels. "Kalina, what's the word on where we're headed? Any potential for collateral damage?"

"As far as I can tell, no. The town was evacuated quite some time ago in the face of Sangvis Ferri attacks. The government never sent troops to assist, so the people thought it best to just up and leave."

"Typical Soviets." Hatch scoffed. "Quick to bring the hammer down, but only when it really matters. Had they stopped all their political bickering and half-assed deployments, we wouldn't even need to be dealing with Sangvis Ferri."

"Well, we wouldn't be getting paid, now would we? Kalina giggled. "Which reminds me! A place like that is bound to have a lot of things left behind. Valuable things. There is an old bank that—"

Hatch didn't have to hear the other dolls to know that they were collectively groaning. "Kalina, we are not going to be playing graverobber. Especially not with two goddamn ringleaders on the field."

The adjutant sighed on the other end of the transmission. "Fiine, but if you do see anything, it would be wise to bring it back with you."

"No promise. Hatch out." The commander cut the transmission and went back to enjoying the view as best he could. By now, he could just barely make out the town in the distance, a solid mass of brown amidst a sea of white and green.

" _ **I HATE YOU FOR THIS, BY THE WAY. FIRST YOU JACK INTO MY HEAD, THEN YOU DANGLE ME FROM THE BOTTOM OF A GODDAMN HELICOPTER. SOME FRIEND YOU ARE."**_

Hatch scoffed. "Yeah? Now you know how it feels every time you get into mine. Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"

" _ **YEAH? HERE'S THE DIFFERENCE: YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE ME IN YOUR HEAD. I'M A NECESSITY FOR YOU. THIS? THIS ISN'T NECESSARY."**_

"I'm not gonna send our girls into the grinder alone Dozer. I had to be there for this."

" _ **FINE THEN, BUT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT ALL IN. EVERYTHING. JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HANDLE ME LIKE YOU DID BACK IN LONDON."**_

Hatch never had time to respond before the skies became filled with the contrails of missiles and tracer fire from the town ahead. Doogan quickly applied evasive maneuvers causing Hatch to swing wildly.

"Bloody hell! Look at this firestorm! The whole damn area is crawling with Sangvis! We're gonna get ya as close as we can before going into a holding pattern."

"Just get us in there, Doogs!"

"Roger that, boss!"

Hatch put an armored fist above him and held onto the hoist; the last thing he needed was to be prematurely dropped. The situation was getting worse, however, and eventually, something bigger than sporadic gunfire would hit him.

Soon the trees were replaced with war-torn streets and abandoned buildings. Hatch counted his lucky stars that there were no civilians. It would have made the situation a whole lot worse.

"Christ, mate! Ya know, this would be a hell of a lot easier if we weren't lugging around a giant metal man!"

This time Grizzly responded on Hatch's behalf. No doubt the doll was working just as hard as Doogan was. "Nothing we can't bloody well handle! We're coming up on the drop site!"

Hatch couldn't help but give a sigh of relief as the helicopter came up and over a large courtyard. The ride from hell was finally over. Now to deal with the hordes of angry Sangvis bots below.

"I'm going in first! Cover my drop!"

Hearing this, Calico quickly stuck her head out of the helicopter's troop bay with a look of concern. "You're gonna do what?!"

Hatch ignored Calico and changed to an open frequency. "Any station this net, this is Commander Hatch of base S09. Be advised, we are coming in fast and hot from the East, need immediate cover fire on our approach!"

Thankfully he didn't have to wait long for a response. "Commander Hatch? This is M16A1 of AR team. I don't know how you found us, but we're glad you're here! We're in the largest building north of the playground. I've got eyes on some sort of heavy weapons team getting ready to set up!"

Hatch scanned the courtyard for a suitable drop spot and the weapons team in question. "Yeah, I have an idea for that. Do **not** shoot the Aegis! It's friendly!"

"You have a _what_?!" M16A1's confusion was nigh tangible. "You know what? Nevermind! Drop it in!"

As the helicopter went to level itself out, the commander reached up and disengaged the cable holding him in place. The momentum from the constant swinging propelled him forward and into some Vespid setting up some sort of turreted weapon.

" _ **WHAT'S UP TRASHCANS!?"**_

Dozer's shock absorbers kicked in as the enemy dolls and their weapon platform were crushed like aluminum cans. Dust, debris, and doll parts everywhere. A messy but effective landing; Hatch could just barely make out the warning beeps and sounds of frames snapping over the sounds of battle.

Dozer's landing was a spectacle, but the others' arrival was straight out of an action movie. Upon Dozer slamming into the ground, the two MRAPs came roaring into the courtyard, guns hot. Screeching tires were the last sound Sangvis dolls heard as the heavy vehicles collided with their frontlines. Meanwhile, Echelon 1 slipped down from above, ropes whipping about.

For a second, Hatch allowed himself to feel a tinge of pride seeing his girls perform so well, even with such a short downtime from the previous operation. He squashed that feeling down as he returned his focus to the battle.

"Echelons two and three, set up defensive positions near the building with the trucks and cover our egress back! Echelon one, tactical egress back to the building!"

" _ **NOW IT'S OUR TURN. SHOW EM' HOW WE DO IT IN THE CORPS, BEN!"**_

Machine gun and sword were brandished as Hatch plowed through the Sangvis frontlines, his heavy armor shrugging off Vespid rifle fire. Rippers fell to machine-gun fire while Guards found their shields useless against the heavy sword. Dinergates were barely an afterthought as they were crushed underfoot or brushed aside.

The T-Dolls refused to be outdone, pushing forward alongside their commander with M4A1 and SOPMOD II at the lead. Without a single word spoken between them, the AR Team pair fought with cohesion that bordered on psychic. As SOP2 paused to reload, M4 was already covering her. Before something became a problem for M4, SOP2 had deployed her grenade launcher to deal with it. Driven by this performance, Hatch's T-Dolls brought a storm of lead and fire that tore through the Sangvis lines. G36, all too frequently left back at base, stretched her wings alongside MP40 and Spectre as they darted around a building to flank.

The dull thump of rotors preceded the pitched howl of miniguns, a stream of tracers tearing through brick and T-Doll alike as Doogan's chopper zipped about like an angry magpie.

Sudden and violent. Loud and proud. Hatch's Heathens were here.

* * *

 **GRIFFON & KRYUGER MAIN BASE OF OPERATIONS**

Berezovich Kryuger was an intimidating man. He towered over the majority of his employees, rippling muscles as if chiseled out of stone, and his countenance was settled between disappointed and expectant. As the highest level of command, he had power. As owner of the company, he had money. Kryuger was no ordinary man.

"This Commander Hatch." The CEO scanned a digital dossier again. "Do you think he can pull this off?"

"A small part of me has my doubts. The stakes are higher than they were before." Helian flipped through her own folder. "But he's our best chance at the moment. Commander Sehr and Squad Negev are too far out. Commander Gentiane has gone silent for a different operation. Commander Blair and Squad Welrod are better suited for cloak and dagger operations, so they were not considered.."

"And I suppose Hatch's old war buddy is a no?"

Helian glared. "Unless we want the entire area a smoldering ruin. If you read up on their time contracting out of Neo New York, you'd know why I've kept them separate."

"Hmmm, regardless." Kryuger rubbed his thick beard with a scarred, calloused hand. "Given the recent successes of Hatch's dolls and AR Team, I imagine his chances are positive. These are trying times, Miss Helian. Hope and the human spirit are our strongest weapons."

"As are illegal Aegis dolls."

Kryuger dismissed her comment with a wave. "Miss Helian, we're a private military company. If I had a ruble for the amount of black ink and questionable tasks we have under our belt, I'd have retired already. Don't get me started on Persica or our dealings with Havier."

"We can at least cover that up." Helian scoffed. "An Aegis GA is hardly subtle when it's running around making a mess of things. If the military gets wind of this—"

"Neither is a DAP package for a Blackhawk, or did you forget that requisition? The military doesn't have the time to worry about those little things. They're too busy dealing with the silly internal strifes and the situation with Sangvis Ferri at large. One commander fighting Sangvis in some backward countryside with some neat toys is the least of their concerns."

Helian sighed in defeat. "Speaking of the military, are we still going through with the operation?"

Kryuger nodded. "Yes, I will be talking to General Carter later today. It will be the largest operation this company has done yet, so the pay and the reputation gain will be substantial."

"So it's true, then. The wheels **are** in motion."

"Indeed, and when the time comes we may need commanders like Hatch." The CEO spun in his chair and faced the window outside, watching the fresh snowfall. "When he completes his current tasking, I would like to speak with him."

Helian nodded. "Very well, mister Kryuger. If there's nothing else to discuss, I'll be taking my leave to monitor the operation. I've just been notified that Commander Hatch has successfully cleared out the local area and reunited AR Team."

"Very good." Kryuger raised a finger. "Ah, there is one more thing, Helian."

The executive paused in her turn. "Yes?"

"Do try to find a date for the upcoming ball. This will be the fourth time in a row you've gone alone."

Helian choked at the lack of words.

"You work hard. Harder than most. Try to enjoy yourself this year. Perhaps you could try your luck with Hatch? You two seem to communicate frequently."

Helian clenched her fists and made her way to the door. "Don't be ridiculous. I don't need anyone. Besides, his tastes are… unconventional."

Kryuger shrugged. "If you say so, but do try all the same."

Helian response was to close the door a little harder than necessary, leaving Kryuger to chuckle.

* * *

 **S09 MAINTENANCE BAY**

The shift from direct control to actual reality was jarring, like waking from a particularly vivid dream. Instead of his quarter's ceiling, however, Hatch woke to a penlight being shined onto his face.

"Jesus, fuck, is that necessary?" he groaned and tried to shield his eyes.

"Only if you left your brain in the rig." Michael's gravelly voice was the worst angel to wake up to. "Now, rank and serial, date and time."

"Fuckin—get the light out of my face first." Hatch reached up, only for his hand to be brushed aside.

"Rank. Serial. Date. Time."

"I swear to God, Mike…" Hatch huffed. "Commander, serial G-1812. Date is November 1st, 2063. Time is 1500, or something in that range. Asshole."

The light clicked off. "Good enough. You've a call waiting for you. Might want to wash your face before checking in."

"Why you gotta be so sour?"

"I've got a job to do first."

"Double asshole."

"Call's waiting."

"Frazzin' razzin' triple asshole…" Hatch muttered as he pushed himself out of the rig and stumbled to a washroom. A few minutes later, he found Michael waiting for him at a computer terminal. On screen was M16A1.

"Sorry for the delay, folks." Hatch started, giving the T-Doll a smile. "Needed to beat up my jerk of a Chief Engineer. I'm Commander Hatch. Honored to meet you. With me is my Chief Engineer, Michael Browning. Also on the line is Echelon one, with Calico and company."

"Not a problem, Commander Hatch, and good to meet all of you. Though, gotta say, quite the first impression! You come in here swinging with an Aegis GA and I'm hearing you guys not only took down Executioner, but captured Scarecrow as well." M16A1 chuckled and put an arm around M4A1 and SOPMOD II who had been sitting next to her. "And you brought my sisters back? I'm impressed. How about you, STAR? Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah, whatever." The doll brushed her pink hair out of her face before returning her attention to fiddling with a scope..

M16A1 shrugged and turned her attention to M4A1. "How about you, sis? Can you vouch for him?"

"Yes, I would not be here were it not for him and his teams. They perform very well." M4 nodded in agreement.

Kalina joined the two then, bringing with her a tray with lunch. Hatch nodded his thanks before returning to the call. "M4 was a big help with taking down Executioner. The dolls here captured Scarecrow who, in turn, led us to you. SOP just kind of showed up out of nowhere."

"I see."

Michael tapped his briar pipe, though a frown from Kalina warned him not to light it up. "There's two other ringleaders out there currently, Hunter and Intruder. Any intel on their location?"

"They were carrying out hit and run attacks shortly before you lot arrived, so chances are they're probably massing for another attack." M16 shrugged. "Hunter always has minions nearby, courtesy of Intruder. So yeah, she's kind of a bitch to take out. What we do know is that we can't leave until they're gone. Your pilot must be some sort of crazy flying through all the AA positions."

"A bit of skill, a bit of madness." Kalina chimed in.

M16 shrugged. "Whatever the case is, we've got quite a bit on our plate to handle. I don't suppose you have some sort of plan?"

"I do, actually." Hatch rotated his shoulder. "A pretty good one I think."

"Oh hoh? I'm intrigued. Lay it on me."

"The commander and his Aegis gave Executioner an ignoble end as scrap." Michael explained. "Given what we know of Hunter's personality, she is very upset by this and thus easy to manipulate."

M16 raised an eyebrow above her eyepatch. "So, a distraction? Separate Hunter from the mobs. How do you intend to do that?"

Hatch gave the doll a cocky grin. "Simple. I insult the shit out of her and her dumbass friend we took down. I then take Echelon one and zip off on an MRAP. If she's that angry, she'll give chase. That leaves you and my other two echelons to take care of Intruder and her minions."

"The entirety of AR Team and two echelons? Yeah, that should do it. We focus on Intruder and your girls take the minions out. Finding her should be easy enough; she likes to stay in the back and direct her forces." M16 crossed her arms and nodded in approval. "So let me ask you this: do you think you and your one echelon can handle Hunter?"

Thunder spoke up for the first time over the Echelon 1 channel. "We can."

"Executioner's fight was really close." Kalina's brow was furrowed in concern. "Hunter is going to be much worse…"

"We'll find a way, we always do." Calico's voice was so confident, Hatch could almost see the mirrored grin.

"They also didn't have me." Thunder nodded in agreement. "Nobody will hurt Calico or big brother Dozer so long as I am with them."

"That and Dozer didn't have me at the controls." Hatch scarfed down the last bits of lunch. "I don't intend on being caught with my pants down again."

"Well then, quite the confident bunch." M16 grinned back. "Now we just wait for them to show up."

An emergency line cut in then, a frantic Spitfire interrupting them. "Multiple mortar launches detected! They have Jaguars!"

As if summoned by the call, the telltale whistle of mortar shells shrieked above. They were loudest just before impact, followed by an earthshaking boom that scattered snow, dirt, and deadly shrapnel. Mercifully, none landed among the dolls, but that would not be the only barrage.

M16 grabbed her kit and took cover behind a crate. "That's them! This is how they start their attacks, Jaguars to soften us up!"

"Some earlier warning would have been nice!" Zas growled as she slid into cover, followed by the rest of her echelon.

"We never got around to that!"

"Ya'll stay safe! I'm coming back soon!" Hatch cut the video feed and looked to Kalina. "Get in contact with mainside and let them know what's going on. Mike, jack me in!"

Hatch downed the rest of his flask as he stomped back to the pod, tossing the flask aside before clamoring in. Michael was already starting up the program as the pod slid shut.

"Part two, here we go…" The commander muttered as darkness became light.

* * *

 **ABANDONED TOWN**

Aegis units were not meant to squat. This meant Hatch and Dozer were left in an awkward leaning kneel that left the majority of the Aegis' body weight braced against a wall. Every mortar shell impact rattled the walls, which left Hatch's balance all the more tumultuous. Worse, the Jaguars were getting closer and more accurate.

The rifle dolls and Spitfire had long abandoned the roof for the safety of indoors. Despite the near hits, their building was still holding strong somehow. The best they could do was take the occasional shot at Scouts to prevent zeroing in on their position.

Hatch watched as another shell destroyed the playground in the center. "Doogs! I got Jaguars hammering us right now! How far out are you?!"

"Not far, but what the hell am I supposed to do with all those AA positions?"

Hatch had no immediate response, but M4A1 answered for him. "Commander Hatch, your helicopter's co pilot is a handgun model correct? She could designate targets for the Predator. All she has to do is sync data with it."

"Sounds good to me! Grizz, you think can pull that off?"

"I don't see why not. Gonna be trickier than if I had a good laser designator, but I can make it work." Grizzly responded with confidence.

"Alright then, coordinate with mainside and get it done. I'm getting really sick and tired of this artillery. Hatch out."

Then, it all stopped. Just as Hatch cut his transmission, so did the mortar strikes..

G41's ears perked up from behind the crate she had taken cover behind and twitched as she focused on listening."Why'd did they stop? Did they run out of ammo?"

"As my sister just said, they always do this. That was just to soften us up." STAR-15 adjusted her scope as she braced her weapon against the windowsill. "Now comes the fun part."

"Fun? There is nothing fun about this." G41's ears twitched. "Master, I hear something!"

Hatch focused his hearing as well, frowning at the distant rumble of marching feet.

From beyond the snowy haze, Sangvis Ferri dolls washed into the square in a flood of black, purple, and pale.

"Fuck. Watch our flanks, people."

Dragoons were a new addition to the party, purple-haired biker girls riding bipedal steeds and hauled around an autocannon. Mobility and firepower in a sexy package. Behind them were another problem: Sangvis Aegis units. While not as built up as Dozer, their heavy armor was still more than enough to defeat conventional rounds.

Calico gasped as she scanned the mass beyond. "Recon dropped the ball, here! This is a freakin' assault force!"

"Intruder is not a bad tactician." M4 pulled her bandana up and over her mouth. "She likely hid them in the ruins, keeping them in reserve until we made our move."

"Or until a rescue force came in. Then she could just wipe everyone out in one go." Hatch sighed and propped Dozer's machinegun up on the wall. "Too bad it's us. I, for one, do not intend to lose here."

SOP nodded in agreement. "All I see are more targets!"

A new voice came through the radio.

"Cowards of Griffon and Kryuger. I regret to inform you that the final act of this play has arrived. You do understand what that means correct?"

The Griffon dolls looked at each other in shock. Their communication network was supposed to be encrypted!

Zas was first to reply."Identify yourself."

The voice returned, amused."How foolish. Surely, you can guess my name? Your radio security was pathetic for an Intruder like me."

Zas rolled her eyes. "Well, there she is. If Sangvis spent half as much fighting as they did making grand entrances, we would have lost long ago."

"Bold words coming from someone about to lose." Intruder clicked her tongue. "Having you all in one place makes our job of eradicating you all the easier."

"You're talking to my girls all wrong!" Hatch chuckled as he cut in. "You must not know who I am."

" _ **I'M GOING TO ENJOY RIPPING THIS ONE INTO PIECES."**_

Hatch brought Dozer to his full height, defiant as he stood in full view of the window. "I'm Commander Hatch of base S09. I'm sure you're aware of what my girls and I did to your friends. Executioner? Scrap. Scarecrow? Easy pickings. If you were looking for an easy fight, you came to the wrong place."

"Friends? What a joke. They're merely expendable tools. Here and now, I believe this will be a splendid crescendo to this drama that has unfolded. Unlike Executioner, I go into everything with both eyes open."

"I don't care if you're my superior or not, Intruder, I will not allow you to talk ill about her." A figure jumped out of the mass and landed in the forefront.

Hunter.

Pale skin and black leather, green eyes, white hair tied into a ponytail, and a partially exposed bust. Were it not for a vicious pair of blaster pistols, she could've passed for a popular girl out on a night.

Hunter's hair fluttered in the wind as she slowly stood up and pointed one of the pistols at the defenders. "I will be the one to tear you apart, just as you did to Executioner. Come forward, coward!."

" _ **I TAKE IT BACK BEN. WE TEAR THIS ONE APART FIRST."**_

The commander raised one of Dozer's gauntlets and formed a fist as he switched to a different communication protocol. Every doll under his command received lines of text via their HUD. _Switch off your comms and move to text communication._

 _Same plan as before, echelon one, get ready near one of the trucks._

 _We're going to have a short window to leg it once the fireworks start._

 _The rest of you, you know what to do. Hit 'em hard girls_.

Wordlessly, the dolls nodded and moved to follow. Before Hatch could start the first phase of his plan, M4 put a hand on Dozer's arm and sent a line of text.

 _Good luck, Commander Ben._

Despite the Aegis' emotionless face, M4 could feel the gratitude in its nod.

 _Yeah. Let's wrap this up so we can go home._

Calico frowned at the sight, though she voiced no complaints. She silently grumbled as she moved into position.

"Do not test my patience further, human! I do not appreciate being ignored!"

At the sound of an annoyed Hunter, Hatch hefted Dozer's weapons up and propelled the doll out of the window and into the courtyard. "Fine then, I'll be your Huckleberry."

M16 whistled. "I gotta say M4, you've really made some interesting friends while I've been gone."

"Yes, yes I have." M4 smiled from behind her mask. "You haven't seen anything yet."


	13. Hunter or Prey?

**Not much to say besides my editor and myself being incredibly busy. Sorry for the wait ya'll.**

* * *

 **Hunter or Prey?**

" _After the war, there was a huge need for people willin' to get dirty jobs done. All the old world powers were still lickin' their old wounds you see? Miliaries were stretched thin and trying to rebuild. That's where us Mercs come in, ya know? Hey, there's always gonna be a need for the privatized armed business and lemme tell ya mate, business is a boomin'!"_

Interview with Ned Doogan, author of the now popular book series. "Gettin' it Done: How to be a proper Merc."

 **S09 BORDER**

Dozer's heavy steel feet stomped through pristine white, churning up clumps of snow and ice in its wake. The doll's blue visors pulsed as the bot stood to its full height, defiant in face of an army of Sangvis dolls and their Ringleader.

Hunter scoffed and pointed an accusatory finger at Dozer. "This is the trashcan that defeated Executioner? I'm not impressed." She looked around as if expecting Hatch to make an entrance as grand as Dozer did. "Furthermore, where are **_you_**? I thought I asked both you and the bot to face me."

The Aegis planted Executioner's blade into the ground as the voice of its puppeteer spoke from behind recessed speakers. "Recovering from my last encounter. You'll have to excuse me, I'm only human after all. Dozer and my girls are more than enough for the likes of you."

Hunter shook her head in bewilderment. "You named it too? How adorable. How naive! Getting attached to something so simple."

"Yeah well, I can get a bit materialistic. Speaking of appearances, where's your friend? Or is she 'coordinating' from the rear like me?"

"Ohh, don't you fret! I suppose I can make an entrance myself. This is one production I will not be vacant from!" The other Ringleader chuckled and clapped her hands from within the mass of enemy dolls, parting them so that she could reveal herself. Like Hunter she was also garbed in Sangvis style: black leather just barely covering pale skin, alluring features that would catch so many gazes, and unmatched confidence. However, unlike Hunter, she was packing serious firepower: a huge magazine-fed assault cannon that looked too big for even Dozer's frame.

Intruder brushed some of her black bangs to the side and bowed. "I hope you'll enjoy our splendid performance today! No doubt the two members of AR team already read the script aloud?"

"They did and they invited the rest of us to the show, Intruder." M4 responded coldly as she and the rest of her team took aim at the ringleader.

Intruder's face beamed with curiosity. "Oh ho? All of you came? Wonderful, the entire cast is here!" she clapped her hands and disappeared back into the mass of Sangvis dolls. "Well I'd love to have front row seats, but a maestro must coordinate after all. Hunter, you may now take center stage. Try to hurry this up. We are on a time crunch and oh, do try not to dismantle M4. That plan didn't work out well for Executioner after all."

Hunter ignored the banter of her superior and took aim at Dozer. "Well then, any last words before I enact revenge for what you did to Executioner?"

"Yeah, why the hell did both of you stall for time so much?"

Suddenly, the sound of missiles came shrieking through the air as explosions went up in several places beyond the square. Hunter's HUD blinked several times as IFF signals went dark across the battlefield.

The Ringleader barely had time to take stock of the situation when a familiar sound came tearing through the ground after her. The Aegis had activated the sword's ability. Hunter's senses kicked back in as she dodged the shockwave, lithly flipping through the air and landing on a nearby van. A large chunk of her forces wasn't as lucky however and doll parts were sent into the air as the shockwave tore through their ranks.

Adding to the chaos, the building Hatch's dolls were occupying quickly lit up as weapons fire poured into the rest of Hunter's forces. The courtyard quickly became a warzone in earnest as both sides traded fire.

Hunter scanned the chaos for her quarry and glared as she watched it pop a smoke grenade, grab the back of an MRAP and drive off in the opposite direction. Hatch's voice rang out as Dozer waved at the now agitated ringleader. "You want revenge? Come work for it!"

Hunter glared as she began directing power to her leg servos. Before she could take off, Intruder quickly cut in over their personal net.

"They're trying to cut you off from the main assault, limiting your reinforcements to light skirmishers. That Predator and the helicopter are clearing our AA sites as we speak."

Hunter scoffed. "I'm aware, like that will help them."

"Try not to let your childish need for vengeance cloud your judgment. Finish them off and return here to help me with AR team. I didn't expect them to be reunited. I'll portion off a section of Aegis to cut the runners off and some dragoons to accompany your hunt. Don't waste them, Hunter."

"That's all I need, I won't fail." Intruder shifted her body low to the ground and sprinted through the smoke, kicking up snow behind her.

 **XXXXXXX**

While everyone on the ground was fighting for their lives, the adrenaline-fueled crew of Doogan's Blackhawk, Mozzie, were having the time of their lives.

"Hold 'er steady love!"

"She's as steady as she can bloody get unless you want us to get shot down!

"Come now _Tovarisch_ Grizzly! We can hit our targets just fine, why can't you?" Dima responded to his pilots' banter with a laugh.

Khadrov echoed his brother's sentiments as he held onto his rigging. "Quite so! Hey Dima, does this remind you of 55'? Grozny?"

"Da! So many RPGs it was like a hornet's nest!"

"Both of you shut up or I'm putting the bird into another roll!" Grizzly gazed out onto the streets below as she used her advanced sensor suite to designate another fleeing Jaguar. The Jaguar's tracks kicked up snow and dirt as it drifted between cars in an attempt to throw off Grizzly's aim. Any plucky Vespids that left cover and attempted to support the ordinance carrier were quickly cut in half courtesy of the Blackhawk's door gunners.

"Aaaaand got it! Break off!"

Grizzly smiled as a Hellfire missile zipped in from the skies above and engulfed the fleeing Jaguar in a fireball. Snow and debris were sent airborne leaving a smoldering crater where the bot once was.

Doogan cheered and brought the helicopter around to give his door gunners an angle on some other fleeing bots below. "Ay, that's a good hit Sky-Eye! Bloody wasted that thing."

"You tag em' we bag em." The drone operator responded indifferently. Unlike the helicopter crew, his view of the battlefield was less personal. "We have eyes on a few more sites to the east and west. Let's wrap this up before the fuel goes bingo."

"Copy that." Doogan changed channels, curious as to how the situation on the ground was. "Oi, boss. How's it goin' down there?"

"Oh, just fine. Got Dragoons and a pissed off Ringleader chasing after us. I can't answer for the rest of the teams." Hatch responded sarcastically.

"Things are very much, how would you say? 'Shit the bed'." Zas interjected over the sounds of gunfire. "What-No I don't have any spare magazines! Someone tell A91 she's aiming the wrong way and for god's sake why aren't the RPGs set up yet?!" The echelon leader broke her concentration from the battle. "How long till the super special squad takes out Intruder?"

"M4 here, we're currently advancing on the source of Intruder's comm disturbance. Resistance is heavy so we're definitely advancing the right way!"

"Indeed you are! How observant of you, maybe it's time to relocate~"

Doogan turned off the chaotic comms channel. The helicopter crew already had enough on their plate in the skies, the last thing they needed was their ears filled with nonstop chatter.

 **XXXXXXX**

Through winding streets and narrow alleyways, Hunter and the Dragoons were relentless in their pursuit of Echelon 1.

"You think I need help taking you down!? Stop the truck and face me, you cowards!" Hunter yelled as she let off another volley of rounds at the MRAP. Energy blasts pinged off Dozer's frame as the Aegis positioned itself to absorb the brunt of the damage. The MRAP's armor was designed to withstand small arms fire, not Sangvis Ferri energy weapons.

"Fuck you, catch us first!" Hatch unprimed a grenade and sent it hurtling towards the team's pursuers. Two unlucky Dragoons had their riders peppered with shrapnel and sent toppling into the ground. Another one tried to hop over a few buildings closest to the MRAP only to have its head blown off courtesy of Thunder aiming out of the passenger's window. Lacking its sensors the walker proceeded to fall off the edge of the building, bringing its rider down with it.

For all her bluster Hunter was proving to be an incredibly tenacious enemy. The doll was just too quick. It also didn't help that Hatch and the team were trying to shake her off in an armored truck not rated to support Dozer's weight.

Hunter continued to dodge and intercept explosives, cursing all the while. "You can't keep this up forever! I _**will**_ catch up to you!"

Calico grit her teeth as she struggled to maintain control of the cumbersome vehicle in the thick snow. "Ben, as much as I hate to admit it, she's right. How far do we intend on going?!"

"We're far enough now just find us a defensible spot! The last thing we need is to be caught with our pants down out in the open!"

Calico would have sighed in relief were it not for the new surprise quickly blocking the path ahead. "Looks like the decisions already been made for us. Multiple Aegis dolls blocking the road ahead!"

" _ **FINALLY. I WAS GETTING TIRED OF RUNNING."**_

With hardly any room to turn around the only thing the team could do now was crash into the dolls and hope the damage wasn't too bad. With any luck, they might actually take one or two out.

Hatch braced Dozer and prepared for the worst. "Calico, punch it. Girls, brace for impact!"

Calico floored the gas pedal causing the MRAP's engine to roar as it gained as much speed as it could.

Ahead of the truck, the Aegis dolls brought up their shields in preparation of the brute force coming their way. Hunter laughed as she watched on in amusement. "You can't be serious! You're really going to try and crash through them?! And here you were insulting me earlier!"

As the MRAP got closer to the roadblock Hatch made Dozer remove a smoke grenade from its satchel, popping the safety clip but holding the pin in.

Calico winced just as the truck's hood collided with the center of the Aegis line and crumpled inward. One unlucky Aegis was sucked under the tires and buried in thick snow.

Its engine out of commission, the MRAP continued to slowly roll forward off what little momentum it still had. As it did so, Hatch released the pin on the smoke grenade maintaining Dozer's grip on it as smoke billowed behind the vehicle. The MRAP continued forward a few more meters before coming to a halt in front of an old grocery store.

Hunter stopped her pursuit and looked on with a raised eyebrow as smoke began to obscure the vehicle. Dragoons and Aegis flanked her as she gave a hearty laugh.

"I'm not entirely sure what your plan was, But you've certainly made for an amusing chase! Maybe now you'll stop this game and actually face me for once?"

Hunter waited a few moments for a response before rolling her eyes and snapping her fingers. "Fine then, I guess we do this the hard way." On command, the Aegis advanced on the downed vehicle. Meanwhile, the Dragoons began positioning themselves on Hunter's flanks.

"Oh and I hope you don't mind, but I'll also be taking that sword back. Executioner can get a new one, but I think her original holds much more sentimental value. It was her first, after all." Hunter grit her teeth. "Before you went and treated her like garbage."

She watched as the Aegis formation disappeared into the smoke cloud. Even with an Aegis of their own, there was no way that pitiful doll echelon could hope to stand a chance at a close range

The noise of machinery crunching through the snow gradually stopped, leaving silence in its wake. Then, the loud groan of metal being twisted out of place ushered out of the smoke and with it came a loud crunch as something heavy hit the snow. Hunter waited in anticipation, expecting to hear the sounds of one last desperate struggle as the Aegis finished off any stragglers.

Instead what she got was a series of loud metallic clangs and warning beeps as her heavy infantry engaged with an unseen enemy. The scuffle ended as quickly as it had begun.

Hunter's eyes darted around as she began scanning adjacent alleyways for any signs of activity, taking her attention off the wrecked store. A costly mistake as she quickly found out.

"Fine then! Take the stupid thing, it's slowing Dozer down anyways!" A large shadow quickly darted past Hunter's side and skewered one of the dragoons closest to her. Had she been standing any further to the right, she would have been taken offline right then and there.

No sooner had Hunter regained her composure, the enemy Aegis was upon her. Wielding a stolen shield and electro-staff, it stomped forward into enemy gunfire. The Dragoons were useless, their cannons merely tickling the heavy armor and doing little to slow the Aegis' charge.

Hunter grit her teeth in fury. A trap! She was lured into a damn trap! But she refused to allow this to deter her. Vengeance would still be hers.

 **XXXXXX**

"Contacts north! Take cover!"

M4 raised a fist and dipped behind a pile of ruined steel and debris, the rest of her team slipping in behind her just as heavy energy bolts hammered their cover. Down the way, the glimmer of Jaeger scopes betrayed Sangvis' position, a full squad of snipers supported by a wall of Guards marching down.

"SOP! Take out those Guards! Break their line!"

"With pleasure!" SOP popped out of cover and took aim, her grenade launcher spitting a High Explosive grenade dead center of the Guards, shattering the defensive line.

"Bound up! Two by two!"

STAR joined SOP in aiming downrange, her rifle joining SOP's gunfire as M4 and M16 slipped out of cover and dashed for another safe spot. Once they were safe, SOP and STAR pushed forward under the cover of M4 and M16's covering fire.

"Through the house! Flank them!" M4 kept up the barrage as her sisters disappeared into a nearby building. Several long seconds passed before a second-floor window moved ever so slightly, STAR's suppressor peeking out the crack. As for SOP...

The Jaegers, unable to fire back without threat of being shot, soon found themselves staring at the gleeful and bloodthirsty smile of SOPMOD2.

"Ah ha! Hello~!" she giggled, eager to add more scrap to her collection. The Jaegers stood no chance.

With the Jaegers down, and ST AR15 providing cover from above, M4 and M16 stepped out of their cover. As they walked past the broken pile of Guards, M16 paused to finish one-off. M4 looked back at the gunshot, frowning at the missed unit.

"We're clear here. Let's keep moving."

Like clockwork, AR team continued on their way through the cramped streets and alleyways as they continued to hunt for Intruder. With every turn, they came across more and more Sangvis bots being haphazardly thrown at them. Intruder was starting to get desperate.

"We have stragglers!" M16 called as she tossed a flashbang towards a group of Rippers. "One sec and I'll take them out!

Thunder and brilliant light overloaded the Rippers' optics, giving M16 a brief but vital window to cooly line up a burst across the Ripper's heads. "Hah! Eat it!"

"Nice theatrics, but you missed a few." STAR had taken to the rooftops, clamoring through ruined rooms and shattered roofs while thoroughly using the elevation advantage. Her rifle cracked twice, nailing a Dinergate in position to tackle M16.

"Now it's clear." STAR scoffed before following in after the rest of the team.

M16 simply chuckled before continuing after the others..

SOP's voice broke the silence. "Hey Intruder! You talk a lot of smack, but sure don't like to back it up. Not so tough when I've got my family back together huh!? You're gonna run out of dolls eventually!"

Dashing across a street, M4 paused to peer around a corner.

"Six… no, seven contacts at the intersection. They've got an Aegis with them too."

"Oh! I have something for him." SOP pushed up to the front of the stack. "Leave this one to me M4, I can handle it! **"**

M4 nodded. "You got this. M16, deploy smoke and cover our movement."

"You got it 'boss.'" M16 smirked as she unclipped and primed a grenade from her war belt.

"STAR?"

"No angle from here. Moving to a better spot…" A moment passed. "I have a decent view now. Ready."

M4 brought a hand up then waved it forward.

"Just like before. Go."

M16's smoke billowed behind them as they moved forward into position. At SOP's nod, the three opened up on the enemy squad with all they had. Under the cover of the suppressive fire, SOP vaulted over her cover and sprinted for the cover of a wrecked truck.

Now in a crossfire with her sisters, SOP waved at them before sliding in a fresh grenade into her launcher. "Watch this, here it comes!"

With a loud thump, SOP lobbed a grenade over at the Aegis leading the rabble of enemy dolls. The projectile whistled through the air before colliding with the armored doll, a HEDP grenade right to the face. The armored doll's head disappeared under a cloud of black smoke as the bot fell backward into a thick patch of snow.

With the heaviest threat down, the rest of the team was clear to mop up the lighter rabble. M4 brought up her HUD as she came over the net and checked for Intruder's signal.

"This is AR team, we're not far from Intruder. Commander Hatch, what's Hunter's status?"

Static came over the net followed by the sounds of heavy gunfire and what sounded like Hunter swearing.

"We've got her on the run."

"Wait, say again? You have her on the run?" M4 slowed to a stop, the rest of her team following suit. Her shocked expression was mirrored by her teammates as she tried to comprehend what she had just heard.

"Yeah, we got her on the ropes-goddamnit. MP40, Spectre, cut her off! Calico and Thunder, move to support. I'm moving Dozer as fast as I can!"

M4 frowned at her radio, and got her team moving again.

 **XXXXXX**

What had supposed to be a simple extermination job was turning into a fight for survival as Hunter's skills were tested to their absolute limit. The Ringleader dodged another near hit and backpedaled from Dozer, firing all the while.

"Intruder, I need backup. _**Now.**_ "

"...What do you mean? What happened to the dolls I sent you?!"

Hunter watched as MP40 and Spectre tore into her reinforcements, dancing around Dragoons and setting their Vespid escorts ablaze. Outdated, low quality dolls making an absolute mockery of them!

"The stupid things are getting slaughtered by gar bar hurry up!"

She returned her attention to Dozer, blinking as Thunder and Calico rolled out from behind the doll. Calico's pistol rattled as a storm of bullets ripped the air around Hunter, driving the ringleader to dash out of the way. All the while, the silver-haired doll took careful aim with her hand cannon. In a grand reflection of her namesake, her weapon was thunderous. A single air-splitting crack was all Hunter heard before white-hot pain ripped up her leg. She ground her teeth as she stumbled, a massive, ugly wound in her leg. It took all she had to limp into cover.

"How can it be so hard to deal with a group of normal dolls and a walking trash can?!" Intruder chimed into Hunter's ear with rising irritation.

"I-I don't know. That Aegis, there's something _**wrong**_ with it!" Hunter panted as she watched black fluid drip from a few holes in her legs. Her damage could be ignored for now, but she would not be able to handle much more. Easy pickings for the Aegis.

"It's faster than the others, stronger. My shots aren't doing anything to it! And this echelon, they move with a cohesion I've never seen before—"

"You had best figure it out, Hunter. I'm knee-deep in my own problems with AR team on my tail and that stupid helicopter buzzing around."

"Figure it out?! Don't tell me to figure it out—aah fuck."

Hunter cursed as a concussion grenade landed next to her. Her scream was drowned out by light as she was thrown aside.

Hunter groaned as she dragged herself back to unsteady feet.

"You… you bastard!"

"Sorry, all out of frags." Dozer slammed its power maul against its shield repeatedly before stomping the ground. Hunter used her wrist to rub away the stream of black fluid pouring from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes turned a bright crimson before she crouched low.

"Don't mock me you…!"

The Ringleader's sudden burst of speed kicked up a plume of snow behind her as she charged the Aegis head on, her blasters howling.

"She seems awfully mad!" Calico chuckled as she and Thunder ducked behind the safety of the Aegis's shield.

Just as the Ringleader came within arms reach, Dozer brought the maul back and swung down. The weapon hummed as it split the air, pulsing as it smashed the ground rather than its target. Hunter dove to the side, slipping to Dozer's exposed side.

"That won't work on us, fraulein!"

Hunter had little time to defend herself as MP40 and Spectre dug their boots into her side, sending her tumbling into the ground. She shook her head to clear the haze as she tried to push herself up. As her vision refocused, Hunter found herself staring at a massive pistol aimed point blank at her head

"I doubt you can dodge a shot this close." Thunder's glare burned two holes in the ringleader's head. "Please don't move or I will have to prematurely blow you away. That would make Ben disappointed, and I wouldn't want to make Ben disappointed."

Hunter grit her teeth and relaxed the grip on her weapons. "You little bitch."

"Ah, ah! Language." Calico and the rest of the dolls surrounded the Hunter. "Sore loser or not, that's no way to talk to Thunder. She's a bit of a loose cannon. I wouldn't want to set her off if I were you." Calico added with a smirk.

"That's the least of her worries." Dozer stomped over and looked down at Hunter. "Talked a lot of shit and now here you are on the ground. I was kinda expecting a little more from Executioner's fangirl."

Hunter spat at Dozer. "You don't know a damn thing."

"Sure I don't, but I can tell you what I _**do**_ know. You'll tell your friend to back down and get the heat off the rest of my echelons. I've read the reports, Ringleaders aren't mindless killing machines."

Hunter shook her head and scoffed. "You think Intruder cares about me? I'm just a pawn, easily replaceable. She hasn't even begun to reveal the cards up her sleeve. You think taking me out will change anything? It won't."

"No? But it will remove one less annoyance we have to deal with. Thunder, go ahead and blaaaaaassssssttt-

Hatch's voice trailed off as it remained stuck on the last word he said. As this happened, Dozer's visors slowly pulsed before finally blinking, the rest of the doll slumping. The other dolls stared at the Aegis in confusion.

"C-Commander?" Spectre shook Dozer's shoulder, to no response.

With her captors distracted, Hunter blurred into action. A lightning-fast kick knocked Thunder's weapon out of her hands, followed by a wild burst of gunfire as she whirled about. The T-Dolls scrambled to get out of the way.

Hunter leapt back, backflipping over wreckage and ruins before coming to a kneeling rest on top of an MRAP, her weapons pointed at the scattered dolls. She smiled as Intruder's voice came onto the net.

"You know, I was beginning to wonder what that strange connection I was seeing was. Once my subordinate told me an Aegis was giving her trouble, it was pretty easy to put two and two together.."

Calico followed her team as they sprinted for cover. "You think we can't take your lackey on? It's still four against one and I know AR team is hunting you down."

"Perhaps. Regardless of what happens, you won't be around long enough to see it. You see, Hunter has this amazing little ability. She doesn't always use it, but when she gets pushed around hard enough? Well, I think you'll find out for yourself." Intruder chuckled. "Hunter? I'm removing the restrictions, have a blast~!"

Intruder disconnected as Hunter let out a throaty chuckle. "Oh, you're screwed. All of you are so goddamn screwed!"

Her chuckle turned into maniacal laughter as a dark energy enveloped her. The air around her shook with sparks as Hunter started shaking. Her pale skin and snow-white hair took on a reddish hue. A baleful, murderous glow, as if she were possessed by a demonic power. Her eyes reflected her newfound power, blazing red hot as she glared.

"Now then! What was it you were saying about you taking me on!?"


	14. Finale

**Finale**

" _Doll's rights have been a slippery slope since the moment they started appearing in our homes. At the end of the day, they're still subservient creations made in our image. Yet, here we are still trying to perfect the design and make them as indistinguishable from us as possible. So why can't we grant them the same respect we would our fellow man? Those who we would create to walk alongside us_."

-Doctor Vincent Parker, a key figurehead in the Doll's rights movement.

 **S09 BASE, MAINTENANCE BAY**

" _ **OH, YOU FUCKIN' BIIIITTTCH-**_ "

Hatch went slack-jawed as Dozer's HUD was replaced with a giant blinking "Error" screen.

The commander quickly disengaged the VR pod's safety locks with a series of pops before stumbling out and onto the concrete maintenance bay floor. Hatch rubbed his eyes with shaky hands as he tried to come back to his senses. "M-Mike, what the hell just happened?!"

"Exactly what I said could happen." Smoke from Michael's pipe pillowed from behind a nearby computer station as the engineer rapidly tapped away at a keyboard, his eyes scanning over lines of code. "We got jammed."

Hatch cautiously got back to his feet with shaky limbs as he attempted to regain control of his body. "I get that, but how? You're supposed to be the tech wiz!"

"I can't prepare for every eventuality," Michael responded matter of factly before blowing a few puffs of smoke.

Hatch braced himself against the pod as he stretched his limbs. "Okay, that's great. So how long do we have?"

"That depends on how quickly you get over to the CP and coordinate with the dolls. I can't do anything from here until the doll is back online."

"Goddamnit!" Hatch slammed a fist against the pod.

Michael paused from his station and looked over at Hatch with a raised eyebrow. "You're not the only one who wants them back here, but throwing a tantrum and smacking my instruments is not only childish." The engineer focused his gaze. "But it gets me angry too. So ruck up and go do your job."

Hatch swore under his breath and took a swig from his flask before storming out into the knee-high snow outside.

* * *

Deep in the heart of the town, the dolls of Echelons Two and Three fought a battle of attrition against an unwavering enemy. For every enemy doll that went down five more took its place and the old school building was beginning to fall apart trying to weather the onslaught. The line was slowly starting to break and Hatch's dolls knew it. All they could do was carry out their last orders to the best of their abilities.

From the back of one of the classrooms, Zas slammed the lid to an empty olive drab container and shook her head. "Resupply completed, we are now bingo on reserves. Echelon leader egressing back to position!" Zas left the box behind to regroup with her team, keeping her head down as energy fire hissed through the air.

G36 ducked down behind an overturned desk with a less than amused expression. "No more ammo? Splendid, I suppose we should use harsh language and the butts of our weapons next?"

FNC had been loading more armor-piercing rounds into one of her empty magazines when she heard the bad news. "No more ammo?! Oh, we're done for sure!"

"Ah for Pete's sake quit your bloody bellyaching!" A dirt-covered Spitfire looked over at the distressed doll and pointed at the red-stained bandages wrapped around her face. "I'm missin' a bloody eye and you don't see me fretting. We'll get through this, I know it!"

"We will be fine FFC, now get back to your post." Zas focused on the enemy outside as she continued to dispatch doll after doll with the concentration of an automated turret.

Suddenly, a stray plasma bolt fizzled through the air and impacted Zas's shoulder. Zas grit her teeth in pain as she recoiled from the force of the hit. Upon eyeing the damage, Zas's temper flared. A black hole had been burned into her skin, exposing the steel of her endoskeleton.

"Damnit!" With vengeful eyes the doll quickly scanned the chaos beyond and found the individual who had dared to wound her, a Ripper. Within moments a grenade was sent through the air and impacted the Sangvis doll head-on, catching a few others in the detonation with a _whump_. Zas stuck up a middle finger as bits and pieces of doll rained down. "Nobody damages my frame!"

Another one of Zas's subordinates, PP-19, ducked down behind the wall they were taking cover behind and worriedly looked over at her comrade.

"Tovarisch Echelon leader Zas, are you alright!?" The doll used her nonfiring hand to brush a few strands of white hair out of the way of her soot-covered face. "Do you need repairs?"

Zas waved her concerned comrade away with a dismissive hand. "I'm fine! Get back to your position and focus fire on the enemy! I want these shits stomped out, use the incendiaries if you need to!"

PP-19 nodded solemnly and hurried back to her position, unhooking some grenades all the while. Zas ducked back down to reload as energy fire pockmarked the concrete window sill she had taken cover behind. She swiftly knocked her empty mag out and rocked a new one in before popping back out to snapshot a few Rippers down below.

"Echelon Two lead, this is Three lead. Are you okay? Do you need any help!? I just saw your vitals go a little crazy over the net." The concern in G41's voice was audible even over the sounds of chaos, thanks in no small part to the Zener system.

"I'm fine, just a grazing hit." Zas eyed her wound as her HUD displayed a few blinking red images of Echelon Three. "I could ask the same of you though."

G41 sighed. "PPK lost an arm to a Vespid and Springfield isn't doing too well either. A Jaeger took a potshot and left a nasty hit in her chest harness. FN49 is picking up the slack despite the fact that WA is...well, you can probably hear her." Zas could just barely make out the sounds of an enraged Wa in the back. "I can tell, I do not pity whatever is on the receiving end of her anger." Zas shook her head. "I'm going to try and reach the CP. Keep up the fight over there 41, we will manage this."

"You too Zas, let's all get back home to our commander!" 41 cut the signal as Zas changed frequencies. "CP this is Echelon Two lead. Things are not going so well here, what's the status on support?"

No sooner had Zas finished her transmission, Kalina was already responding."Echelon Two lead, this is Kalina. The Predator is currently out of Hellfires but is remaining on station for observation. Mozzie is also doing the same but promises they'll be back as soon as they can. Oh, and Commander Hatch has a few things to say." There was a sound of rustling accompanied by yelling as Kalina dropped off the net.

Zas's look of confusion was mirrored by other dolls listening in. "Hatch?"

"Echelon Two, Zas. This is Hatch. Dozer is down. I repeat, Dozer is down. My signal to him has been cut off and Echelon One is currently engaging Hunter."

"Say again Commandant, Dozer is down?" Zas listened on incredulously.

"That's an affirm. As far as I can tell he's still combat capable, but I have no way to get him back online from here. Intruder blocked the signal. What's the status of your girls?"

"Not good. We are low on ammo and the others..." Zas's voice trailed off as she looked back at some of the mangled dolls doing their best to man their respective positions. "...I will not lie to you commandant. I do not know how much longer we can hold. Why hasn't the super-duper doll team finished Intruder yet?"

"I don't know, I can't reach them over the net. It's likely Intruder blocked their signal too. All we can do is hope and hang on-shit. Look Zas I gotta go, Echelon One needs me!"

"Commandant Hatch wait!" Before Zas could give a proper response, Hatch cut the signal leaving her there with the rest of her team against the enemy. Zas closed her eyes and took a deep breath before rejoining the battle. "Even far away you still impede my progress with him, Calico. Our competition will have to wait." Zas managed a sly smile as she lowered her goggles down over her eyes. "Just try not to get scrapped, the competition for our commander must go on."

* * *

"All that bluster! All that bravado! Where is it now, trash!?" Hunter yelled as her black and red form darted around the dolls of Echelon One. The Ringleader laughed as she effortlessly dodged Echelon One's weapons fire, her pistols responding in kind whenever a doll tried to break free from cover.

Calico tucked her head back behind a dumpster she and Thunder were taking cover. Next to them, Dozer's massive frame sat slumped against their makeshift cover. Meanwhile, Specter and MP40 did their best to deal with Hunter.

"Ben are you seeing this?! How are we supposed to handle this?!"

Back at base, Hatch watched the drone's vidscreen with a furrowed brow. "Yeah I'm here. What's going on with Dozer, has he rebooted yet?"

Thunder reached down and tapped on Dozer's head repeatedly. "No, it's like someone found his off switch and flipped it."

"Take his core out and reinsert it then."

Calico raised an eyebrow as she started disengaging the various locks and safety pins on Dozer's chest harness. "Really Ben!? He's not a video game system, do you want me to blow on the cartridge too?"

"He's military-grade kit Calico, it's dummy-proof. Just fucking do it!"

"Shit shit shit!" Calico swore as she quickly took out Dozer's core and clicked it back into place. Calico and Thunder watched in anticipation, hoping for some sort of miraculous scene where Dozer would spring back up and help the team take Hunter down.

" _ **AI CORE DETECTED, BEGINNING STARTUP PROCED-"**_

Calico slammed her fists on Dozer's chest. "Screw the theatrics, just boot up!"

Dozer's visors pulsed red for a few moments before the doll responded. _**"**_... _ **WARNING, UNEXPECTED SHUTDOWN DETECTED. REBOOT PROCEDURE WILL TAKE LONGER THAN NORMAL WHILE PREVIOUS INFORMATION IS RESTORED. ETA…"**_

A loud buzzing sound reverberated from within the military-grade doll as Hunter and the two SMG dolls continued their battle beyond. " _ **...ONE HOUR.**_ "

"An hour?!" Calico grit her teeth and balled her fists as she started slamming on Dozer's chest repeatedly. "WE….DON'T...HAVE….AN….HOUR!"

"If you try to reboot him any sooner than that, he's going to get up and start targeting all of you equally." Michael came over the net with the same calm and collected demeanor he always had. "You ever wonder why video games tell you to not turn off the console while they save? Now you know."

"Okay Mike, so now what do they do." Hatch responded with rising anger. "Get turned into scrap?!"

"Calm down and let me finish." Michael cleared his throat. "This 'powerup' Hunter has, it's not permanent. Have you ever heard of overclocking a computer?"

"Yeah, I'm not a stranger to gaming." Hatch responded matter of factly.

"Well, same thing. You get a boost in performance, but at the cost of increased strain on the system itself."

Thunder raised an eyebrow. "So we just outlast her? How long would we have?"

"Minutes, maybe less the more you force her to push her frame."

Hatch cracked his knuckles. "Got it, so it's attrition then. We know a little thing or two about that."

"Good then, put it into action. I expect all of you to return home tonight, Browning out." Michael quickly cut the transmission, leaving the dolls of Echelon One and their commander to deal with the new threat.

Calico slapped a fresh magazine into her weapon as Hatch spoke over comms. "Okay girls, let's bag this fucking speedster."

* * *

Intruder ran past a squad of confused looking Vespid and pointed behind her. "Don't just stand there, stop them!" The command and control member of the squad nodded before leading the squad into an alleyway towards AR team. Now all the Ringleader could hope to do was delay her pursuers long enough for Hunter to come to her aid. Intruder looked behind her, hoping for some miracle to arrive to her aid. Instead what she got was the sound of gunfire being exchanged followed by a very irate M4 leading the rest of her team out of the alley the Vespid went down.

Intruder grit her teeth and opened up her HUD. "Hunter, answer me dammit! I'm out of reinforcements, where the hell are you-" Intruder's sentence was cut off as small arms fire began to whistle through the air around her. AR team was within effective firing range now, there was no shaking them this time. Intruder grit her teeth and tried to stifle a scream as a few stray rounds impacted her legs and threw off her balance. The Ringleader looked down and eyed the damage to her frame. Nothing debilitating, but the mess of dark holes in her porcelain skin and the fluid pouring out of them did little to fill her with confidence.

"Stay away from me, trash!" Intruder stopped and turned around to let off another volley of cannon fire at the pursuing members of AR team. Massive shell casings ejected out of the side of her weapon as she arched her shots left and right in a sweeping motion. This did little to halt AR team as the dolls simply rolled into cover and found different avenues to approach the Ringleader from. To make matters worse, Intruder could only see three members of the team out of the original four: M4, M16, and STAR.

SOP, the mad dog of the pack, was off her leash and Intruder had no idea where she was.

Or rather, she very quickly found out, as a signature appeared from behind on her HUD at an uncomfortably close range.

"FOUND YOU!"

Intruder barely had time to heft her still firing heavy weapon around when she felt the cold steel of SOPs prosthetic hand dig deep into her left shoulder, tearing synthskin from her endoskeleton. Intruder yelped in pain as she kicked her heel back and sent SOP flying into a trash can.

Intruder looked at her fresh wound and eyed the glistening metal beneath it, her free hand hovering above the mess of skin and steel. "You...you animal! How dare you!"

SOP bolted back onto her feet and grinned sadistically as she waved the skin in her non-firing hand. "I just wanted a hug. Now you went and made me mad! The doll unfastened a jagged looking knife from her plate carrier and licked the end of the blade with a sadistic smile. "I'm gonna enjoy carving you up!"

"You'll be dead before you get the chance!" Intruder raised her weapon and spooled up the barrels with malice in her eyes. "I've always hated you the most."

"The feeling's mutual! SOP, eyes!"

At the sound of M16's voice, Intruder's world was engulfed in bright light. Blinded, Intruder screamed in pain and rubbed her eyes in frustration, only to get the wind knocked out of her as she was knocked to the ground.

The impact of the blow caused Intruder's senses to do a hard reboot, allowing her to regain her senses. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with a less than promising sight. All of AR team had her surrounded with weapons raised.

M16 chuckled. "You done running? Have any more lackeys to throw at us?"

Intruder readied her weapon in defense and eyed the various members of the team. "You've been so focused on me. What about your friends? Any minute Hunter and my forces will finish them off and come to assist me~." The Ringleader gave a coy smile. "This changes nothing, the endstate remains the same."

"That's a bold assumption." M4 scoffed as she lowered her bandanna. "You have no idea what the Commander and his dolls are capable of, but even then. They have nothing to worry about."

"Because we're gonna tear the command and control module out of you!" SOP interjected as she pointed her knife. "No module, no dolls!"

Intruder glared and shifted into a combat stance. "You think you have me cornered? You're wrong."

"We'll see about that." M4 raised her bandanna back up and snapped her fingers, beginning the one-sided fight in earnest.

* * *

" _Schiesse_! Specter, she's right on top of you!" MP40 raised her weapon and fired a burst at the blur that was rapidly descending towards her teammate. Specter barely had time to look up and roll out of the way before Hunter impacted the ground. Puffs of snow and dirt were sent up from the concussive force and created a natural smoke screen that enveloped the two SMG dolls.

"Crap, where did she go?!" Specter's eyes changed color as her vision switched over to infrared, her world plunging into varying shades of red. MP40 did the same as she began to scan the dust cloud, her weapon moving from left to right in wide arcs.

Calico instinctively grabbed Thunder's hand and brought her weapon up. "40, Specter. Talk to me, what's going on?!"

Hatch rose up from his chair next to Kalina and raised his arms at the vidscreen. "She's trying to pick you off one by one, huddle up before she-"

Too late, no sooner did Hatch send out the warning Specter cried out as she was riddled with plasma fire. The doll's body convulsed as the shots found their mark, pocketing her torso and limbs with deep scorch marks. Before the doll could hit the ground, MP40 was already catching her and throwing an incendiary at the location the plasma fire came from.

Back at base, Hatch slammed his fists on the desk as he watched his dolls try to carry their incapacitated comrade back to where Dozer was. With Specter out of the fight, Hatch was running out of options. Kalina could only sit there and try and comfort her commander as best she could as Hatch tried to salvage a potentially helpless situation.

"Calico, cover MP40's retreat. Sweep in arcs, don't give Hunter room to maneuver! Use the flames as a natural wall and force her around it. Thunder, you're the ace in the hole. Wait for Hunter to stall out and hit her!"

Thunder gripped her pistol tightly and Calico's hand tighter. "When will I know to do that?"

"On my signal, trust me on this." Hatch responded with a reassuring voice.

Calico and Thunder nodded before standing side by side and coordinating their fire. Though Calico's weapon lacked the rate of fire necessary for suppression, her natural accuracy more than made up for that shortcoming.

Hunter laughed from beyond the wall of flames as her lithe form dodged around small arms fire. "So you saw through my trick, cute! But I think you're forgetting that I'm way out of your league!"

"Only temporarily, soon as you're out of juice you're dead meat!" Calico retorted as she continued to try and tag Hunter.

Hunter laughed again before jumping through the flames. "Is that so?" The Ringleader smiled at the Griffon Dolls as energy coursed through her circuits. "You won't be around long enough to find out." The Ringleader quickly picked up speed and dashed towards MP40 and Specter, kicking up snow behind her as she got closer. "Now to finish the job!"

Hatch watched with rising anticipation as the Ringleader made it halfway to the rest of the dolls. Throughout the battle, he had noticed a pattern to Hunter's attacks. Hatch waited for Hunter to leap into the air and begin her descent on MP40 and Specter, the opening he had been waiting for.

"Thunder, now!"

As Thunder took aim on the airborne doll she finally realized what Hatch had been trying to do: Wait for an easy target. With Thunder's targeting computer applying lead and elevation, the shot was akin to trying to hit a clay pigeon.

Thunder fired, her weapon emitting a near-deafening boom as the massive .50 round cracked through the air and punched clean through Hunter's torso. The impact of the round coupled by the fact she had been hit at all forced a bewildered look on Hunter's face as she was promptly swatted out of the air, impacting the snow below with a crunch.

Back in the control room, cheers broke out amongst the staff members as the base enjoyed its newest victory. Even Locklear could only look on smugly as she gave a few claps, her assistant K11 joining her.

"Bulls-eye." Hatch lit a cigarette and smiled before leaning back in his chair. Next to him, Kalina looked at the vidscreen then back at Hatch with her mouth agape. "Wow, that was perfect! How'd you think of that?"

"She's still a doll Kalina. Dolls are a lot like humans in that they're creatures of habit. They're just a lot more rigid with things due to programming." Hatch took another drag. "Our speedster friend over here was quick on the ground, but the moment she went airborne she was a sitting duck. Did you see how many times she was doing flips and jumps? I don't think there was an attack she didn't lead or finish without acrobatics."

Hatch cracked his knuckles and leaned back in towards the screen. "Good hit super shot. I knew you could do it. Calico, tend to Specter as best you can and get ready to redeploy, I'll have Doogan come and scoop you guys up." Hatch glanced at the multiple blinking red status symbols. "This battle is far from over."

Calico sighed in relief and gave a thumbs up. "Copy that Ben, thanks for the help back there. Calico out-"

"You're right, this battle **is** far from over."

Everyone in the ops center including the dolls went silent at the sound of Hunter's voice. Calico quickly turned around and aimed her weapon at the now standing Hunter. Black fluid trickled from the wounded Ringleader's mouth as she ran a finger around the hole in the side of her chest.

"That was a good shot. Lining me up like that and waiting for me to make my move. Someone did their homework." Hunter pointed at Thunder. "I'd almost be impressed were it not for the unyielding feeling of rage I have right now."

Calico stood in front of Thunder, her hands starting to shake slightly as she tried to mask her disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me, that was .50 BMG."

"If it's any consolation. I won't be up for much longer, the damage has been done." Hunter paused as information passed over her HUD. "And it looks like Intruder won't be with us for much longer either, but that's fine. I don't care if I win at this point, in fact. I never did in the first place."

Hunter glared. "I just want you to suffer the same way Executioner did and I have just enough juice left to make that dream a reality!"

"I-impossible." Intruder repeated the word over and over as she attempted to move her mangled body through the winding alleyways. The Ringleader weakly dragged her half-empty assault cannon behind her. It had taken her every bit of cunning just to get away from AR team. She had always known it was going to be a one-sided fight, but her own fear prevented her from wanting to go to the cloud. She had never been dismantled before. Worse yet, AR team purposefully let her escape. To let SOP have her fun.

Suddenly, Intruder heard footsteps followed by SOP's giggle to her left and down one of the dark alleyways.

"Stay away from me you freak!" Intruder hefted her weapon and fired into the darkness. Her weapon only sustained fire for a few moments before the belt went dry. The barrels continued to spin and vibrate as Intruder's eyes went wide with fear. No sooner had she ran out of ammo a voice came from behind her followed by a hand gripping her shoulder.

"I...found...you!"

Intruder's body erupted into pain as something sharp and jagged punched through her chest. Coolant poured out of the Ringleader's mouth as she dropped her weapon and surveyed the damage to her chest. There, in front of her eyes and covered in her own fluids, was SOP's mechanical fist holding her core.

Intruder weakly brought up a hand and tried to grab her core. "N-no."

SOP brought her mouth to Intruder's ear and whispered. "Pretty isn't it? It'll make a fine gift for my new commander I think. After what you put his girls through I think he'll display it somewhere, like a trophy." SOP couldn't help but giggle in delight. "Oh I bet he'll praise me so much! I can't wait!-"

SOP paused and brought a free hand to her headset. "What, aw c'mon big sis. I was just getting to the good part. What? Echelon One's in trouble? Why didn't ya say so, let's go help them!"

SOP gave Intruder's core a squeeze and ripped it out through her back, causing the Ringleader to slump to the ground face first. "Okay no more playtime. Bye bye trash! Next time we fight I hope you'll put up more of a challenge!

With that, SOP ran off to join her sisters leaving a now lifeless Intruder to stay buried in place.

* * *

"They're breaking in, stand your ground!" From down a long hallway and behind some makeshift cover, Zas slid another grenade into her launcher right as the first line of Aegis tore through the barricades at the front door. Zas and the remaining dolls poured everything they had into the door as the horde of Sangvis began to funnel into the building. Outside, Doogan's helicopter continued to provide CAS* in an attempt to stimmy the tide, but to no avail.

This was it, the last stand. The dolls of S09 weren't going down without a fight though and they continued to put up stiff resistance.

A91 rummaged through her plate carrier's pouches before sighing."Shiit, I'm out of grenades. Well, girls, it's been fun. Off to the cloud we go!~" The doll took a long swig from her flask and prepared for the end.

"I won't let them get their filthy hands on Springfield! I won't, I won't, I won't!" Wa yelled as she continued to plink at anything dangerous that was foolish enough to expose themselves to her.

Then, just as the first Aegis reached the dolls' position, everything stopped. All of the Sangvis dolls halted in place and drooped their heads as if their switches had suddenly been turned off. A few of Hatch's dolls exchanged puzzled looks before FN49 raised her rifle above her head in jubilation. "We won! Victory is ours!"

All of the dolls immediately burst into celebration. Against all odds, they had survived, done what very few other bases had ever done. The celebrations were short-lived however, for there was still one team in need of assistance.

The dolls quickly packed their gear and stuffed anyone they could into the remaining MRAP before speeding off to Echelon One's location.

* * *

Before Calico could squeeze her handgun's trigger, Hunter had already fired. Plasma fire impacted Calico's weapon sending it spiraling out of her hands. Disarmed, Calico was helpless as Hunter quickly followed up with crippling fire to her legs.

Everything happened so fast that Calico didn't even have time to yell in pain as plasma fire burned into her endoskeleton.

"Calico, hang on!" More concerned with Calico's safety than her own, Thunder immediately rushed to her friend. Only to grunt in pain as Hunter closed the gap and buried her knee into Thunder's gut. The impact of the blow slammed Thunder into the dumpster Dozer was leaning against. Before Thunder could even hit the ground Hunter was upon her once more, yanking the doll up by the hair and letting her hang from a clenched fist. Thunder screamed as Hunter carried over to Calico and dug her heel into the crippled doll's chest with a sadistic grin that stretched from ear to ear. Calico could have broken the Ringleader's leg were it not for the pistol aimed at her face. "You b-bitch! Put her down!"

Out of ammo and still burdened with Specter, MP40 could only watch in horror as Hunter gloated over her "victory."

"I had originally intended to do something like this, but all of you proved to be a little more tenacious than I had expected." Hunter gave Thunder's hair another tug. "I could've easily sent all of you to the cloud, but that wasn't' a luxury you gave Executioner."

Thunder reached out to the still unresponsive Dozer with a free hand and called out weakly. "D-dozer help me."

"What's that? Calling out for help?" Hunter gave Thunder another good shake. "You're gonna have to speak up, maybe he'll hear you then. Go on."

Calico grit her teeth in indescribable rage. "I swear to you with all that I am, we're going to make what we did to Executioner look like a children's arts and crafts project after we're done with you."

Hunter laughed. "Ooh, scary. Trying to get under my skin again? Won't work, I'm beyond that old trick now." She returned her attention to Thunder. "Now then, go on. Scream to your friend, scream to whoever you want."

Thunder remained silent.

"I said, scream!" Hunter shook Thunder by her hair prompting the doll to scream out again. This time with tears running down her face."Big brother, please! Help me!"

Hunter wrapped her finger around her pistol's trigger. "LOUDER!"

"PLEASE HELP ME!"

Hunter was about to torture Thunder further when suddenly the shrieking sound of metal rubbing against metal ushered forth from near the dumpster. Hunter's eyes went wide as she looked over at the source of the noise. There, staring right at her, was Dozer. The doll's visors pulsed a dull green for a few moments before turning a bright crimson.

" _ **HOSTILE DOLL IN THE A.O. THIS UNIT IS MOVING TO ENGAGE."**_

"No, hat's impossible! You're supposed to be offline!" Hunter's eyes went wide as she pulled the trigger to her pistol. "I will not be denied my vengeance by a walking trash heap!"

 _Click,_ nothing. Hunter didn't have time to register confusion before Calico was snapping her ankle and pushing the now weakened Ringleader off her. Thunder dropped to the ground and brought her hands to her hair in pain, tears still streaming down her face as Dozer slowly got back up to its feet.

Calico crawled her to her friend's side and got up on her knees before wrapping her arms around the distraught doll. "Shhh, it's okay now. It's over Thunder."

She turned her head towards Hunter with a look of disgust. "For us anyways." Calico began to shake as anger took over her. "You won't be anything more than a stain on the ground once Dozer's done with you."

"Not like this!" Hunter tried to crawl away as Dozer began stomping over towards her, its massive hands outstretched like a bear getting ready to maul some unfortunate victim. Out of options, Hunter reached for her other pistol and brought it to the side of her head. "You won't get the satisfaction!"

 _Click_ again, nothing. Hunter's eyes turned back to their normal green color as she looked at her empty weapons then back Dozer.

Now upon her Dozer picked Hunter up by her neck and stared at her for a few moments, its visors continuing to pulse red as it scanned over Hunter's vitals. Once Dozer was done figuring out what made Hunter tick, it began using its free hand to start tearing off anything it deemed was necessary to Hunter's existence. Hunter's screams and the sickening noises that followed were heard by the rest of the GnK forces long before they rendezvoused with Echelon One. When they finally got there, all they could find was a crippled doll team and an Aegis covered in black fluid.

Back at base, Hatch and the rest of the command staff sat silent for a few moments as they tried to comprehend what had just happened. With shaking hands Hatch lit a cigarette and took a long drag before resting his head on Kalina's shoulder.

"Mike, get maintenance on stand by. We're gonna have a long night."

* * *

 **Yeah, sorry for the wait. Not a particularly long chapter, but with all the stuff going on right now it was a little bit of a pain in the ass to find time to write. I think I'm finally back on a semi-normal schedule, but we'll see. Too early to say for sure. I hope everyone's been staying safe and healthy and thanks for having the patience to wait for this chapter.**

 **I also noticed a jump in activity in my favorites and follows. To all my new readers welcome aboard. Try not to pay any heed to my old projects, they've evolved as much as I have lol.**

* * *

 **Terms used**

 **CAS: Close Air Support**


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